You need to normalize your database. I think you want to have separate models for authors and syllabuses and link them via a has_many_through relationship. Your linking table can then include additional information about the specific relationship, for example whether the author was the original author.
manpreet
Best Answer
2 years ago
I am working with Rails 3, and I have a model called User that authors a Syllabus. I would like to add the feature of "co-authoring" a syllabus, so the original author can invite a different user to make changes to the content.
Which options below makes more sense? (If there's something better, please let me know)
make the author attribute an array attribute, so that Syllabus.author would be an array containing all of its authors
create additional attributes to Syllabus, such as coauthor1, coauthor2
If the first one makes more sense, would you be able to specifically describe how would I make it an array attribute, and insert additional authors later?
One reason I was considering the second option was because that would allow a distinction between the original author and the other co-authors, enabling perhaps only the original author to delete the Syllabus, while other co-authors have limited authority?