another proposal for instance methods and associations

associations-proposal.js

// Note that instance and class methods could also be defined at the adapter level
// (e.g. CRUD adapters add .save() and .destroy() methods, but the Twillio API might add a .call() method)

// User.js
module.exports = sails.Model.extend({
	
	// Adapters are applied from left to right
	// (methods defined in more than one adapter use the rightmost adapter's version, just like _.extend)
	adapter: ['mysql', 'twilio'],
	
	// Cache the results of the specified methods
	// (just class/static methods in this example-- not sure the best way to do instance methods)
	cache: {
		
		findAll: {
			adapter: 'memory',
			ttl: 60 * 1000
		},
		
		// Cache adapters are applied left to right
		// (cache for one hour in memory, 
		// then cache for the rest of the day in redis)
		findSingles: [{
			adapter: 'memory',
			ttl: 60 * 60 * 1000
		}, {
			adapter: 'redis',
			ttl: 24 * 60 * 60 * 1000
		}]
	},
	
	attributes: {
		age: 'int',
		female: 'boolean',
		name: 'string',
		phoneNumber: 'string',
		friends: { many: 'User' },
		boyfriend: { one: 'User' },
		
		// Instance method to start dating this person
		// (all partners are boyfriends in this app, I guess)
		goSteady: function (user, cb) {
			user.boyfriend = this;
			this.boyfriend = user;
			async.parallel(this.save, user.save, cb);
		},
		
		// Instance method to initiate a phone call using the Twilio API
		// with some special parameters
		dirtyCall: function (options, cb) {
			
			// call() is an instance method which
			// comes from the Twillio adapter
			this.call({
				to: options.to,
				from: this.phoneNumber,
				anonymous: true,
				deepSexyVoice: true
			}, cb);
		}
	},
	
	// Class method to find users who are single, along with a list of their single friends
	findSingles: function (cb) {
		User.findAll({ boyfriend: null })
		.andFetch('friends', {
			where: { boyfriend: null }
		})
		.done(cb);
	}
});




// Examples

// Class methods:
// Find singles
User.findSingles()
.done(function (err, singles) {
	if (err) throw err;
	sails.log('Take your pick:', singles);
});
 
// Associations:
// Get user 7, fetching no more than 3 of her friends
// who are at least 17 years old
User.find(7)
.andFetch('friends', {
	where: { age: {'>=': 17}, female: true },
	limit: 3
}).done(function (err, user) {
	if (err) throw err;
	sails.log('Take your pick:', user.friends);
});


// Cross-adapter assocations:
// Perform a dirty call from the current user to user 7
User.find(7).done(function (err, targetUser) {
	if (err) throw err;
	if (!req.session.userId) throw 'Account not valid- could not place call.';
	
	// Lookup current user's phone no.
	User.find(req.session.userId).done(function (err, currentUser) {
		if (err) throw err;
		if (!currentUser) throw 'Account not valid- could not place call.';
		
		// Perform call	
		currentUser.dirtyCall({
			to: targetUser.phoneNumber
		}), function (err) {
			if (err) throw err;
			sails.log('Now what?');
		});
	});
});