> I guess I should not have said before _filter_. I meant a before  
> callback. Perhaps the before_validation callback, which would then  
> allow you to use your validation logic?

> class Blah < AR::Base

> before_validation :sanitize_money

> def sanitize_money
>  salary_amount.gsub!(/[^0-9.]/, '')
> end

> Sorry about the confusion... It's late!

> -Anthony

> On Jan 15, 2008, at 1:27 AM, Bryce Thornton wrote:

>> Update.. I think this is a better solution:

>>  def attributes=(attributes, guard_protected_attributes = true)
>>    if attributes[:salary_amount]
>>      attributes[:salary_amount].gsub!(/[^0-9.]/, '')
>>    end

>>    super(attributes, guard_protected_attributes)
>>  end

>> It works without changing the way I typically add/update records.

>> On Jan 15, 1:12 am, Bryce Thornton <brycethorn...@gmail.com> wrote:
>>> Thanks Anthony.  I was aiming to keep the logic in the model.  What
>>> I've done for now is just create a simple method in the model like
>>> this:

>>>  def update_cleaned_attributes!(attributes)
>>>    if attributes[:salary_amount]
>>>      attributes[:salary_amount].gsub!(/[^0-9.]/, '')
>>>    end

>>>    self.update_attributes!(attributes)
>>>  end

>>> I then just call this from my controller instead of
>>> "update_attributes".  It works, but feel free to chime in if  
>>> there's a
>>> way to do this better.

>>> Thanks,
>>> Bryce

>>> On Jan 15, 12:56 am, Anthony Carlos <anth...@digitalphenom.com>  
>>> wrote:

>>>> Hey Bryce,

>>>> I would use a regex to strip out anything that is not a digit or a
>>>> decimal point:

>>>> input.gsub(/[^0-9.]/, '').to_f

>>>> I'm not sure of the "Rails Way," but it seems like a before filter
>>>> might work well.

>>>> -Anthony

>>>> On Jan 15, 2008, at 12:18 AM, Bryce Thornton wrote:

>>>>> I'm trying to figure out how to clean up some form input for a
>>>>> currency value.  I'm using a decimal column to store the value and
>>>>> have a basic text input box for the data entry.

>>>>> My question: how can I sanitize this input data?

>>>>> For instance, say the user enters "$115.25".  Currently this is  
>>>>> being
>>>>> stored as "0.00" since ruby detects the dollar sign and strips
>>>>> everything since it's not a numerical value.  Similarly,  
>>>>> "15,000.00"
>>>>> is stored as "15.00" since the comma is detected as a non-
>>>>> numerical
>>>>> value. It does this as soon as I call "update_attributes" in the
>>>>> controller, so I don't think I can do much about in the model.  
>>>>> By the
>>>>> time before_validation fires it's already too late.  I would  
>>>>> assume
>>>>> the same problem exists for ruby Integers, Floats, etc.  So,  
>>>>> what's
>>>>> the "Rails Way" of handling this?  Is there a way to clean the
>>>>> parameters in the model before rails actually sets each  
>>>>> attribute or
>>>>> am I going to have to handle this in the controller?

>>>> --

>>>> Anthony Carlos
>>>> Vice President
>>>> Digital Phenom
>>>> 807 National Press Bldg
>>>> Washington DC 20045
>>>> 202.393.0000

> --

> Anthony Carlos
> Vice President
> Digital Phenom
> 807 National Press Bldg
> Washington DC 20045
> 202.393.0000