Converting distance_of_time_in_words back to time

converter.rb

# DOES NOT HANDLE 'half a minute' AND 'about a minute' among others
# dotiw is the distance_of_time_in_words
if dotiw
  
  # split it with ' ' and get an array.
  # Your array contains things such as :
  # ["1", "year,", "11", "months,", "27", "days,", "13", "hours,", "and", "39", "minutes"]
  split_distance_of_time_into_array = dotiw.split(' ')
  total_time=0
  split_distance_of_time_into_array.each_with_index do |t,index|
    # Converting any string into integer with no actual integer value inside would return zero.
    if t.to_i.zero?
      # If t is 'year' then its predecessor in the array has to be the no of years
      count = split_distance_of_time_into_array[index-1].to_i
      # t could be 'month', 'months', 'months,' or even 'month,'
      # Thus, split it with ','
      time_unit = t.split(',').first
    end
    
    # Converting the count of whatever time_unit into seconds here
    # ex :
    #     count = 3
    #     time_unit = month
    #     3.months.to_i => 7776000
    if t != "and" and t != "and," and !count.nil? and !time_unit.nil?
      total_time += count.send(time_unit).to_i
    end
  end
end

initializer.rb

activities = Activity.find_all_by_activity_type('app')
activities.each do |activity|
  parsed_info = JSON.parse activity.info
  if parsed_info.has_key?("exact_duration") 
    if parsed_info["exact_duration"].class == Float or parsed_info["exact_duration"].class == Fixnum
      dotiw = activity.get_value_from_info('exact_duration')
      if dotiw
        split_distance_of_time_into_array = dotiw.split(' ')
        total_time=0
        split_distance_of_time_into_array.each_with_index do |t,index|
          if t.to_i.zero?
            count = split_distance_of_time_into_array[index-1].to_i
            time_unit = t.split(',').first
          end
          if t != "and" and t != "and," and !count.nil? and !time_unit.nil?
            total_time += count.send(time_unit).to_i
          end
        end
        if !total_time.zero?
          parsed_info["exact_duration"] = total_time
          activity.update_attributes!(info: parsed_info.to_json)
        end
      end
    end
  end
end