Rails console includes differently than model -

tl;dr: include mymodule brings mymodule's functions scope when run in rails console, not when in rails model. don't understand , able access these functions in model.

i have file lib/zip_validator.rb, use validate user input user model.

module activemodel::validations::helpermethods   def validates_zip(*attr_names)     validates_with zipvalidator, _merge_attributes( attr_names )   end end  class zipvalidator < activemodel::eachvalidator   def validate_each( record, attr_name, value )     unless is_legitimate_zipcode( self.zip )       record.errors.add( attr_name, :zip, options.merge( value: value ))     end   end end 

in rails console, can do

irb(main):005:0> include activemodel::validations::helpermethods => object irb(main):006:0> validates_zip nomethoderror: undefined method `validates_with' main:object         /home/bistenes/programming/myapp/lib/zip_validator.rb:3:in `validates_zip'         (irb):6         /usr/lib64/ruby/gems/1.9.1/gems/railties-3.2.13/lib/rails/commands/console.rb:47:in `start'         /usr/lib64/ruby/gems/1.9.1/gems/railties-3.2.13/lib/rails/commands/console.rb:8:in `start'         /usr/lib64/ruby/gems/1.9.1/gems/railties-3.2.13/lib/rails/commands.rb:41:in `<top (required)>'         script/rails:6:in `require'         script/rails:6:in `<main>' 

look! found validates_zip, because it's complaining call within method. maybe complaint go away when try , call model it's going used, app/models/user.rb:

class user < activerecord::base    include activemodel::validations::helpermethods    attr_accessible :first_name, :last_name, :zip, :email, :password,          :password_confirmation, :remember_me, :confirmed_at    validates_presence_of :first_name, :last_name, :zip   validates_zip :zip 

when attempt start server (thin), errors out with:

/usr/lib64/ruby/gems/1.9.1/gems/activerecord-3.2.13/lib/active_record/dynamic_matchers.rb:55:in `method_missing': undefined method `validates_zip' #<class:0x00000003e03f28> (nomethoderror)     /home/bistenes/programming/myapp/app/models/user.rb:38:in `<class:user>' 

what in world going on? why server fail find function console found?

consider this:

module m   def m   end end  class c   include m end 

given that, can c.new.m without complaint can't c.m. what's going on here? when include m, methods in m added c instance methods if wanted say:

class c   include m   m end 

then m have class method since self when call m here class itself. can using included hook in module:

module m   def self.included(base)     base.class_exec       def m       end     end   end end class c   include m   m # works end 

in case, you'd have this:

module activemodel::validations::helpermethods   def self.included(base)     base.class_exec       def self.validates_zip(*attr_names)         validates_with zipvalidator, _merge_attributes( attr_names )       end     end   end end 

now user have validates_zip class method can call in desired context.