Method: Module#mattr_writer

Defined in:
activesupport/lib/active_support/core_ext/module/attribute_accessors.rb

#mattr_writer(*syms, instance_writer: true, instance_accessor: true, default: nil, location: nil) ⇒ Object Also known as: cattr_writer

Defines a class attribute and creates a class and instance writer methods to allow assignment to the attribute. All class and instance methods created will be public, even if this method is called with a private or protected access modifier.

module HairColors
  mattr_writer :hair_colors
end

class Person
  include HairColors
end

HairColors.hair_colors = [:brown, :black]
Person.class_variable_get("@@hair_colors") # => [:brown, :black]
Person.new.hair_colors = [:blonde, :red]
HairColors.class_variable_get("@@hair_colors") # => [:blonde, :red]

To omit the instance writer method, pass instance_writer: false or instance_accessor: false.

module HairColors
  mattr_writer :hair_colors, instance_writer: false
end

class Person
  include HairColors
end

Person.new.hair_colors = [:blonde, :red] # => NoMethodError

You can set a default value for the attribute.

module HairColors
  mattr_writer :hair_colors, default: [:brown, :black, :blonde, :red]
  mattr_writer(:hair_styles) { [:long, :short] }
end

class Person
  include HairColors
end

Person.class_variable_get("@@hair_colors") # => [:brown, :black, :blonde, :red]
Person.class_variable_get("@@hair_styles") # => [:long, :short]

Raises:

  • (TypeError) 


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# File 'activesupport/lib/active_support/core_ext/module/attribute_accessors.rb', line 121

def mattr_writer(*syms, instance_writer: true, instance_accessor: true, default: nil, location: nil)
  raise TypeError, "module attributes should be defined directly on class, not singleton" if singleton_class?
  location ||= caller_locations(1, 1).first

  definition = []
  syms.each do |sym|
    raise NameError.new("invalid attribute name: #{sym}") unless /\A[_A-Za-z]\w*\z/.match?(sym)
    definition << "def self.#{sym}=(val); @@#{sym} = val; end"

    if instance_writer && instance_accessor
      definition << "def #{sym}=(val); @@#{sym} = val; end"
    end

    sym_default_value = (block_given? && default.nil?) ? yield : default
    class_variable_set("@@#{sym}", sym_default_value) unless sym_default_value.nil? && class_variable_defined?("@@#{sym}")
  end

  module_eval(definition.join(";"), location.path, location.lineno)
end