example.rb

# Example of a DelayedJob that syncs info with mailchimp

class SyncMailchimp < Struct.new(:opts)
  include Dobexer::ExceptionNotifier

  def run_hominid(attempts = 0, &block)
    attempts += 1
    block.call

  rescue EOFError => e
    if attempts < 3
      Rails.logger.error("Hominid EOFError, retrying: #{e.message}")
      run_hominid(attempts, &block)
    else
      Rails.logger.error("Give up on EOFError due to more than 3 attempts failed. Opts: #{opts.inspect}")
    end
  end

  def get_h
    @h ||= Hominid::API.new(APP_CONFIG['mailchimp_key'], {:timeout => 60})
  end

  def perform
    return unless opts[:action]

    @user = User.find(opts[:user])

    case opts[:action]
      # ...
    when :update
      run_hominid do
        list_id = get_h.find_list_id_by_name("list_name")
        vars = {}
        vars['FNAME'] = @user.full_name
        # other vars...
        get_h.list_update_member(list_id, @user.email, vars)
      end

    end

  rescue Hominid::APIError => e
    Rails.logger.error "Hominid API error: #{e.message}"
  end
end

sync_mailchimp_spec.rb

require 'spec_helper'

describe SyncMailchimp do
  it "should be EOFError proof" do
    user = Factory :user

    job = SyncMailchimp.new :action => :update, :user => user.id
    hominid_mock = mock("An hominid API instance")
    hominid_mock.stub!(:find_list_id_by_name).and_return("xxxxx")
    hominid_mock.should_receive(:list_update_member).at_most(1).times.and_raise(EOFError)
    hominid_mock.should_receive(:list_update_member).once.and_return(true)

    job.stub!(:get_h).and_return(hominid_mock)

    job.perform
  end

  it "should not try more than 3 times the API call" do
    user = Factory :user

    job = SyncMailchimp.new :action => :update, :user => user.id
    hominid_mock = mock("An hominid API instance")
    hominid_mock.stub!(:find_list_id_by_name).and_return("xxxxxx")
    hominid_mock.should_receive(:list_update_member).at_most(3).times.and_raise(EOFError)

    job.stub!(:get_h).and_return(hominid_mock)

    job.perform
  end
end