How to get to_json to behave without render?

[dudo]

In my controller, I can convince the app to use my serializers:

def show
  @user = User.find_by_id(params[:id])
  render json: @user
end

But for the life of me, I can't seem to figure out how to get the object to use the serializer on command. I've tried the following to no avail:

@user.to_json
@user.as_json
@user.serializable_hash

UserSerializer.new(@user)
UserSerializer.new(@user).attributes (this almost works, but I have a has_many that I can't get to show up)

What am I missing?? This is driving me nuts.

[domitian]

You can't, as it is mentioned in this document Basic Serializer in design docs.

Rails will transparently use your serializer when you use render :json in your controller.

So it won't use your serializers as_json and serializable_hash methods when you are calling from the console, it will by default use the active record methods

[bf4]

@dudo What version of AMS are you on? https://github.com/rails-api/active_model_serializers/blob/master/CONTRIBUTING.md

The docs describe how to serialize outside a controller https://github.com/rails-api/active_model_serializers/blob/master/docs/howto/outside_controller_use.md

@domitian the file you linked is the original design doc from 2011

[dudo]

0.10.0.rc4

UserSerializer.new(User.first).as_json
  User Load (0.9ms)  SELECT  "users".* FROM "users" ORDER BY "users"."id" ASC LIMIT $1  [["LIMIT", 1]]
=> {"object"=>{"id"=>1, "name"=>"Brett Dudo", "plaid_public_token"=>nil, "created_at"=>Thu, 21 Jan 2016 05:28:45 UTC +00:00, "updated_at"=>Wed, 03 Feb 2016 05:27:23 UTC +00:00, "email"=>"[email protected]", "public_token"=>"..."}, "instance_options"=>{}, "root"=>nil, "scope"=>nil}

{
  id: 1,
  name: "Brett Dudo",
  email: "[email protected]",
  monthly_income_amount: [redacted],
  monthly_available_balance: [redacted],
  current_transactions: [
    {
      id: "jbA5MZNzoospaQ0kyAmjTaL0p598pvHZr5Oqz",
      name: "Flyers",
      amount: 21.17
    },
    {
      id: "rJX1EOzL44SneY4NbAwmUkvby1gDy8FZpNEOy",
      name: "Target",
      amount: 146.45
    },
    ...
  ]
}

class UserSerializer < ActiveModel::Serializer
  attributes :id, :name, :email, :monthly_income_amount, :monthly_available_balance

  has_many :current_transactions
end

Hopefully that describes the mismatch. I'm using Devise, not sure if that messes with serialization. Also, plaid_public_token is on there, which I'm not sure how... the column is actually just public_token.

[bf4]

Yeah, that's not the way to do it. The json gem adds methods all ruby objects. I am thinking of moving making the serializer behave like the attributes adapter when calling as_json on it. In any case, see #1487 (comment) where I ref'd what you need to do

[dudo]

To be clear, that's the instruction from /outside_controller_use.md, yes?

AHHHHHH. I was looking at it the whole time. It says ActiveModel::SerializableResource but I was just seeing the name of my Serializer. Dumb... Thank you for clarifying.

[bf4]

no prob. Glad it's figured out.