I need to figure out a way to save :status (an attribute of the event model) if it meets the condition and is set to "full". I tried using @event.update_attributes(params[:status]), but that didn't work. I've also tried @status.save and just save, but those result in "undefined method errors". Suggestions?

event.rb

class Event < ActiveRecord::Base
  attr_accessible :needed, :start, :location, :league, :skill_level, :field_type, :organizer, :note, :status
  has_and_belongs_to_many :users
end

events_controller.rb

  def join
    @event = Event.find(params[:event][:event_id]).users << current_user
    @attendees = Event.find(params[:event][:event_id]).users
    @needed = Event.find(params[:event][:event_id]).needed
    @status = Event.find(params[:event][:event_id]).status
    if @attendees == @needed
     @status = "full"
    end
    redirect_to :back
  end

schema.rb

create_table "events", :force => true do |t|
    t.datetime "start"
    t.text     "location"
    t.datetime "created_at",                 :null => false
    t.datetime "updated_at",                 :null => false
    t.integer  "organizer"
    t.integer  "needed",      :default => 1
    t.string   "league"
    t.string   "field_type"
    t.string   "skill_level"
    t.text     "note"
    t.string   "status"
  end

I found that, using the console, writing:

Event.find(20).update_attributes(:status => "full")

actually updates the attribute in the db. Now, trying to use that same logic inside the controller.

WOO!

Figured it out (thanks to this post http://www.davidverhasselt.com/2011/06/28/5-ways-to-set-attributes-in-activerecord/)

Here are the action controllers that I wrote:

def join
@add_user = Event.find(params[:event][:event_id]).users << current_user
@attendees = Event.find(params[:event][:event_id]).users.count
@Needed = Event.find(params[:event][:event_id]).needed
@event = Event.find(params[:event][:event_id])
if @attendees == @Needed
@event.update_attributes(:status => "full")
end
redirect_to :back
end

def leave
@event = Event.find(params[:event][:event_id]).users.delete(current_user)
@attendees = Event.find(params[:event][:event_id]).users.count
@Needed = Event.find(params[:event][:event_id]).needed
@event = Event.find(params[:event][:event_id])
if @attendees < @Needed
@event.update_attributes(:status => "open")
end
redirect_to :back
end