User Model

user.rb

class User < ActiveRecord::Base
  # Include default devise modules. Others available are:
  # :token_authenticatable, :lockable, :timeoutable, :confirmable and :activatable
  devise :database_authenticatable, :registerable,
         :recoverable, :rememberable, :trackable, :validatable, :token_authenticatable

  # Setup accessible (or protected) attributes for your model
  attr_accessible :email, :password, :password_confirmation
  
  # Self defined attributes.
  # The below attribute (:user_role) is used in the before_save callback
  #attr :user_role
  
  # Associations
  has_and_belongs_to_many :roles
  has_many :stores, :foreign_key => "merchant_id"
  has_many :deals, :foreign_key => "merchant_id"
  has_many :punches, :foreign_key => "user_id"
  
  # Callbacks
  # ensure_authentication_token is a method available in the devise gem
  before_save :ensure_authentication_token
  after_create :add_user_role
    
  # Function to set actual User Role before sign up
  def add_user_role
    user_role = Role.find_by_name(self.user_role.to_s.capitalize)
    self.roles << user_role
  end
  
  # Methods for this class
  def role?(role)
    return !!self.roles.find_by_name(role.to_s.camelize)
  end
  
  # Method: merchant - allows me to refer to the user model as merchant 
  def merchant
    if self.role?(merchant)
      self
    end
  end
  
end