Add in association attributes to model attributes.

ar_attributes_with_associations.rb

# Based on http://stackoverflow.com/questions/2299139/retrieve-all-associations-attributes-of-an-ar-model
# Doesn't spelunk, doesn't name associations for easy consumption back. Good first go though.

# It gives the object attributes with the attributes of first cousin associations.

class ActiveRecord::Base
  def attributes_with_associations
    association_names = self.class.reflect_on_all_associations.collect { |r| r.name }
    me = self.class.find self.id, :include => association_names
    pairs = association_names.collect do |association_name|
      object_or_array = me.send(association_name)
      if object_or_array.nil?
        [association_name, nil]
      elsif object_or_array.is_a? Array
        association_pairs = object_or_array.collect { |o| [o.id, o.attributes] }
        [association_name, Hash[*association_pairs.flatten(1)]]
      else
        [association_name, object_or_array.attributes]
      end
    end
    me.attributes.merge Hash[*pairs.flatten(1)]
  end
end