CSCI E-168

I have to pick and choose a bit for ActiveRecord topics; we actually have two weeks for this, and I got rdoc and Test::Unit out of the way, so, really, you should get your key knowledge earlier (which will help for the assignment). The first lecture will begin with the briefest relational/SQL refresher.

Basically I am trying to identify the core aspects of the relational model so that I can show how each one is dealt with in ActiveRecord.

Below are the topics that I think are most important.

Requests for you:

• If you feel like you need more than the briefest relational/SQL refresher, speak up. I can provide, for example, a PDF of some pages to help you re-activate that knowledge.
• If there are other things (besides what’s below) you want to hear about based on your experience with relational databases and SQL, make comments.

ActiveRecord Menu

1. Migrations
2. Creating a class that leverages ActiveRecord
3. Key datatypes
4. Basic Create / Read / Update / Delete operations
5. Validations
6. How ActiveRecord manages 1:Many and Many:Many relationships; and how ActiveRecord manages data related to the Many:Many relationship (e.g., join tables)
7. How ActiveRecord models relational “group by”
8. How ActiveRecord manages aggregate functions
9. How ActiveRecord manages what would be suitable for left join
10. How ActiveRecord provides single-table inheritance

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Things that I will mention but will not detail:

• ActiveRecord and transactions
• Polymorphic associations