activeresource 2.0.1

data/lib/active_resource.rb

@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+#--
+# Copyright (c) 2006 David Heinemeier Hansson
+#
+# Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining
+# a copy of this software and associated documentation files (the
+# "Software"), to deal in the Software without restriction, including
+# without limitation the rights to use, copy, modify, merge, publish,
+# distribute, sublicense, and/or sell copies of the Software, and to
+# permit persons to whom the Software is furnished to do so, subject to
+# the following conditions:
+#
+# The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be
+# included in all copies or substantial portions of the Software.
+#
+# THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND,
+# EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF
+# MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND
+# NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE
+# LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION
+# OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM, OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION
+# WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE.
+#++
+
+$:.unshift(File.dirname(__FILE__)) unless
+  $:.include?(File.dirname(__FILE__)) || $:.include?(File.expand_path(File.dirname(__FILE__)))
+
+unless defined?(ActiveSupport)
+  begin
+    $:.unshift(File.dirname(__FILE__) + "/../../activesupport/lib")  
+    require 'active_support'  
+  rescue LoadError
+    require 'rubygems'
+    gem 'activesupport'
+  end
+end
+
+require 'active_resource/formats'
+require 'active_resource/base'
+require 'active_resource/validations'
+require 'active_resource/custom_methods'
+
+module ActiveResource
+  Base.class_eval do
+    include Validations
+    include CustomMethods
+  end
+end

data/lib/active_resource/base.rb

@@ -0,0 +1,872 @@
+require 'active_resource/connection'
+require 'cgi'
+require 'set'
+
+module ActiveResource
+  # ActiveResource::Base is the main class for mapping RESTful resources as models in a Rails application.
+  #
+  # For an outline of what Active Resource is capable of, see link:files/README.html.
+  #
+  # == Automated mapping
+  #
+  # Active Resource objects represent your RESTful resources as manipulatable Ruby objects.  To map resources
+  # to Ruby objects, Active Resource only needs a class name that corresponds to the resource name (e.g., the class
+  # Person maps to the resources people, very similarly to Active Record) and a +site+ value, which holds the
+  # URI of the resources.
+  # 
+  #     class Person < ActiveResource::Base
+  #       self.site = "http://api.people.com:3000/"
+  #     end
+  # 
+  # Now the Person class is mapped to RESTful resources located at <tt>http://api.people.com:3000/people/</tt>, and
+  # you can now use Active Resource's lifecycles methods to manipulate resources.  
+  # 
+  # == Lifecycle methods
+  #
+  # Active Resource exposes methods for creating, finding, updating, and deleting resources
+  # from REST web services.
+  # 
+  #   ryan = Person.new(:first => 'Ryan', :last => 'Daigle')
+  #   ryan.save  #=> true
+  #   ryan.id  #=> 2
+  #   Person.exists?(ryan.id)  #=> true
+  #   ryan.exists?  #=> true
+  # 
+  #   ryan = Person.find(1)
+  #   # => Resource holding our newly create Person object
+  # 
+  #   ryan.first = 'Rizzle'
+  #   ryan.save  #=> true
+  # 
+  #   ryan.destroy  #=> true
+  #
+  # As you can see, these are very similar to Active Record's lifecycle methods for database records.
+  # You can read more about each of these methods in their respective documentation.
+  # 
+  # === Custom REST methods
+  #
+  # Since simple CRUD/lifecycle methods can't accomplish every task, Active Resource also supports
+  # defining your own custom REST methods.
+  # 
+  #   Person.new(:name => 'Ryan).post(:register)
+  #   # => { :id => 1, :name => 'Ryan', :position => 'Clerk' }
+  #
+  #   Person.find(1).put(:promote, :position => 'Manager')
+  #   # => { :id => 1, :name => 'Ryan', :position => 'Manager' }
+  # 
+  # For more information on creating and using custom REST methods, see the 
+  # ActiveResource::CustomMethods documentation.
+  #
+  # == Validations
+  #
+  # You can validate resources client side by overriding validation methods in the base class.
+  # 
+  #     class Person < ActiveResource::Base
+  #        self.site = "http://api.people.com:3000/"
+  #        protected
+  #          def validate
+  #            errors.add("last", "has invalid characters") unless last =~ /[a-zA-Z]*/
+  #          end
+  #     end
+  # 
+  # See the ActiveResource::Validations documentation for more information.
+  #
+  # == Authentication
+  # 
+  # Many REST APIs will require authentication, usually in the form of basic
+  # HTTP authentication.  Authentication can be specified by putting the credentials
+  # in the +site+ variable of the Active Resource class you need to authenticate.
+  # 
+  #   class Person < ActiveResource::Base
+  #     self.site = "http://ryan:password@api.people.com:3000/"
+  #   end
+  # 
+  # For obvious security reasons, it is probably best if such services are available 
+  # over HTTPS.
+  # 
+  # == Errors & Validation
+  #
+  # Error handling and validation is handled in much the same manner as you're used to seeing in
+  # Active Record.  Both the response code in the Http response and the body of the response are used to
+  # indicate that an error occurred.
+  # 
+  # === Resource errors
+  # 
+  # When a get is requested for a resource that does not exist, the HTTP +404+ (Resource Not Found)
+  # response code will be returned from the server which will raise an ActiveResource::ResourceNotFound
+  # exception.
+  # 
+  #   # GET http://api.people.com:3000/people/999.xml
+  #   ryan = Person.find(999) # => Raises ActiveResource::ResourceNotFound
+  #   # => Response = 404
+  # 
+  # +404+ is just one of the HTTP error response codes that ActiveResource will handle with its own exception. The 
+  # following HTTP response codes will also result in these exceptions:
+  # 
+  # 200 - 399:: Valid response, no exception
+  # 404:: ActiveResource::ResourceNotFound
+  # 409:: ActiveResource::ResourceConflict
+  # 422:: ActiveResource::ResourceInvalid (rescued by save as validation errors)
+  # 401 - 499:: ActiveResource::ClientError
+  # 500 - 599:: ActiveResource::ServerError
+  #
+  # These custom exceptions allow you to deal with resource errors more naturally and with more precision
+  # rather than returning a general HTTP error.  For example:
+  #
+  #   begin
+  #     ryan = Person.find(my_id)
+  #   rescue ActiveResource::ResourceNotFound
+  #     redirect_to :action => 'not_found'
+  #   rescue ActiveResource::ResourceConflict, ActiveResource::ResourceInvalid
+  #     redirect_to :action => 'new'
+  #   end
+  #
+  # === Validation errors
+  # 
+  # Active Resource supports validations on resources and will return errors if any these validations fail
+  # (e.g., "First name can not be blank" and so on).  These types of errors are denoted in the response by 
+  # a response code of +422+ and an XML representation of the validation errors.  The save operation will 
+  # then fail (with a +false+ return value) and the validation errors can be accessed on the resource in question.
+  # 
+  #   ryan = Person.find(1)
+  #   ryan.first #=> ''
+  #   ryan.save  #=> false
+  #
+  #   # When 
+  #   # PUT http://api.people.com:3000/people/1.xml
+  #   # is requested with invalid values, the response is:
+  #   #
+  #   # Response (422):
+  #   # <errors type="array"><error>First cannot be empty</error></errors>
+  #   #
+  #
+  #   ryan.errors.invalid?(:first)  #=> true
+  #   ryan.errors.full_messages  #=> ['First cannot be empty']
+  # 
+  # Learn more about Active Resource's validation features in the ActiveResource::Validations documentation.
+  #
+  class Base
+    # The logger for diagnosing and tracing Active Resource calls.
+    cattr_accessor :logger
+
+    class << self
+      # Gets the URI of the REST resources to map for this class.  The site variable is required 
+      # ActiveResource's mapping to work.
+      def site
+        if defined?(@site)
+          @site
+        elsif superclass != Object && superclass.site
+          superclass.site.dup.freeze
+        end
+      end
+
+      # Sets the URI of the REST resources to map for this class to the value in the +site+ argument.
+      # The site variable is required ActiveResource's mapping to work.
+      def site=(site)
+        @connection = nil
+        @site = site.nil? ? nil : create_site_uri_from(site)
+      end
+
+      # Sets the format that attributes are sent and received in from a mime type reference. Example:
+      #
+      #   Person.format = :json
+      #   Person.find(1) # => GET /people/1.json
+      #
+      #   Person.format = ActiveResource::Formats::XmlFormat
+      #   Person.find(1) # => GET /people/1.xml
+      #
+      # Default format is :xml.
+      def format=(mime_type_reference_or_format)
+        format = mime_type_reference_or_format.is_a?(Symbol) ? 
+          ActiveResource::Formats[mime_type_reference_or_format] : mime_type_reference_or_format
+
+        write_inheritable_attribute("format", format)
+        connection.format = format
+      end
+      
+      # Returns the current format, default is ActiveResource::Formats::XmlFormat
+      def format # :nodoc:
+        read_inheritable_attribute("format") || ActiveResource::Formats[:xml]
+      end
+
+      # An instance of ActiveResource::Connection that is the base connection to the remote service.
+      # The +refresh+ parameter toggles whether or not the connection is refreshed at every request
+      # or not (defaults to +false+).
+      def connection(refresh = false)
+        if defined?(@connection) || superclass == Object
+          @connection = Connection.new(site, format) if refresh || @connection.nil?
+          @connection
+        else
+          superclass.connection
+        end
+      end
+
+      def headers
+        @headers ||= {}
+      end
+
+      # Do not include any modules in the default element name. This makes it easier to seclude ARes objects
+      # in a separate namespace without having to set element_name repeatedly.
+      attr_accessor_with_default(:element_name)    { to_s.split("::").last.underscore } #:nodoc:
+
+      attr_accessor_with_default(:collection_name) { element_name.pluralize } #:nodoc:
+      attr_accessor_with_default(:primary_key, 'id') #:nodoc:
+      
+      # Gets the prefix for a resource's nested URL (e.g., <tt>prefix/collectionname/1.xml</tt>)
+      # This method is regenerated at runtime based on what the prefix is set to.
+      def prefix(options={})
+        default = site.path
+        default << '/' unless default[-1..-1] == '/'
+        # generate the actual method based on the current site path
+        self.prefix = default
+        prefix(options)
+      end
+
+      # An attribute reader for the source string for the resource path prefix.  This
+      # method is regenerated at runtime based on what the prefix is set to.
+      def prefix_source
+        prefix # generate #prefix and #prefix_source methods first
+        prefix_source
+      end
+
+      # Sets the prefix for a resource's nested URL (e.g., <tt>prefix/collectionname/1.xml</tt>).
+      # Default value is <tt>site.path</tt>.
+      def prefix=(value = '/')
+        # Replace :placeholders with '#{embedded options[:lookups]}'
+        prefix_call = value.gsub(/:\w+/) { |key| "\#{options[#{key}]}" }
+
+        # Redefine the new methods.
+        code = <<-end_code
+          def prefix_source() "#{value}" end
+          def prefix(options={}) "#{prefix_call}" end
+        end_code
+        silence_warnings { instance_eval code, __FILE__, __LINE__ }
+      rescue
+        logger.error "Couldn't set prefix: #{$!}\n  #{code}"
+        raise
+      end
+
+      alias_method :set_prefix, :prefix=  #:nodoc:
+
+      alias_method :set_element_name, :element_name=  #:nodoc:
+      alias_method :set_collection_name, :collection_name=  #:nodoc:
+
+      # Gets the element path for the given ID in +id+.  If the +query_options+ parameter is omitted, Rails
+      # will split from the prefix options.
+      #
+      # ==== Options
+      # +prefix_options+:: A hash to add a prefix to the request for nested URL's (e.g., <tt>:account_id => 19</tt>
+      #                    would yield a URL like <tt>/accounts/19/purchases.xml</tt>).
+      # +query_options+:: A hash to add items to the query string for the request.
+      #
+      # ==== Examples
+      #   Post.element_path(1) 
+      #   # => /posts/1.xml
+      #
+      #   Comment.element_path(1, :post_id => 5) 
+      #   # => /posts/5/comments/1.xml
+      #
+      #   Comment.element_path(1, :post_id => 5, :active => 1) 
+      #   # => /posts/5/comments/1.xml?active=1
+      #
+      #   Comment.element_path(1, {:post_id => 5}, {:active => 1}) 
+      #   # => /posts/5/comments/1.xml?active=1
+      #
+      def element_path(id, prefix_options = {}, query_options = nil)
+        prefix_options, query_options = split_options(prefix_options) if query_options.nil?
+        "#{prefix(prefix_options)}#{collection_name}/#{id}.#{format.extension}#{query_string(query_options)}"
+      end
+
+      # Gets the collection path for the REST resources.  If the +query_options+ parameter is omitted, Rails
+      # will split from the +prefix_options+.
+      #
+      # ==== Options
+      # +prefix_options+:: A hash to add a prefix to the request for nested URL's (e.g., <tt>:account_id => 19</tt>
+      #                    would yield a URL like <tt>/accounts/19/purchases.xml</tt>).
+      # +query_options+:: A hash to add items to the query string for the request.
+      #
+      # ==== Examples
+      #   Post.collection_path
+      #   # => /posts.xml
+      #
+      #   Comment.collection_path(:post_id => 5) 
+      #   # => /posts/5/comments.xml
+      #
+      #   Comment.collection_path(:post_id => 5, :active => 1) 
+      #   # => /posts/5/comments.xml?active=1
+      #
+      #   Comment.collection_path({:post_id => 5}, {:active => 1}) 
+      #   # => /posts/5/comments.xml?active=1
+      #
+      def collection_path(prefix_options = {}, query_options = nil)
+        prefix_options, query_options = split_options(prefix_options) if query_options.nil?
+        "#{prefix(prefix_options)}#{collection_name}.#{format.extension}#{query_string(query_options)}"
+      end
+
+      alias_method :set_primary_key, :primary_key=  #:nodoc:
+
+      # Create a new resource instance and request to the remote service
+      # that it be saved, making it equivalent to the following simultaneous calls:
+      #
+      #   ryan = Person.new(:first => 'ryan')
+      #   ryan.save
+      #
+      # The newly created resource is returned.  If a failure has occurred an
+      # exception will be raised (see save).  If the resource is invalid and
+      # has not been saved then valid? will return <tt>false</tt>,
+      # while new? will still return <tt>true</tt>.
+      #
+      # ==== Examples
+      #   Person.create(:name => 'Jeremy', :email => 'myname@nospam.com', :enabled => true)
+      #   my_person = Person.find(:first)
+      #   my_person.email
+      #   # => myname@nospam.com
+      #
+      #   dhh = Person.create(:name => 'David', :email => 'dhh@nospam.com', :enabled => true)
+      #   dhh.valid?
+      #   # => true
+      #   dhh.new?
+      #   # => false
+      #
+      #   # We'll assume that there's a validation that requires the name attribute
+      #   that_guy = Person.create(:name => '', :email => 'thatguy@nospam.com', :enabled => true)
+      #   that_guy.valid?
+      #   # => false
+      #   that_guy.new?
+      #   # => true
+      #
+      def create(attributes = {})
+        returning(self.new(attributes)) { |res| res.save }        
+      end
+
+      # Core method for finding resources.  Used similarly to Active Record's find method.
+      #
+      # ==== Arguments
+      # The first argument is considered to be the scope of the query.  That is, how many 
+      # resources are returned from the request.  It can be one of the following.
+      #
+      # +:one+:: Returns a single resource.
+      # +:first+:: Returns the first resource found.
+      # +:all+:: Returns every resource that matches the request.
+      # 
+      # ==== Options
+      # +from+:: Sets the path or custom method that resources will be fetched from.
+      # +params+:: Sets query and prefix (nested URL) parameters.
+      #
+      # ==== Examples
+      #   Person.find(1)                                         
+      #   # => GET /people/1.xml
+      #
+      #   Person.find(:all)                                      
+      #   # => GET /people.xml
+      #
+      #   Person.find(:all, :params => { :title => "CEO" })      
+      #   # => GET /people.xml?title=CEO
+      #
+      #   Person.find(:first, :from => :managers)                  
+      #   # => GET /people/managers.xml
+      #
+      #   Person.find(:all, :from => "/companies/1/people.xml")  
+      #   # => GET /companies/1/people.xml
+      #
+      #   Person.find(:one, :from => :leader)                    
+      #   # => GET /people/leader.xml
+      #
+      #   Person.find(:one, :from => "/companies/1/manager.xml") 
+      #   # => GET /companies/1/manager.xml
+      #
+      #   StreetAddress.find(1, :params => { :person_id => 1 })  
+      #   # => GET /people/1/street_addresses/1.xml
+      def find(*arguments)
+        scope   = arguments.slice!(0)
+        options = arguments.slice!(0) || {}
+
+        case scope
+          when :all   then find_every(options)
+          when :first then find_every(options).first
+          when :one   then find_one(options)
+          else             find_single(scope, options)
+        end
+      end
+
+      # Deletes the resources with the ID in the +id+ parameter.
+      #
+      # ==== Options
+      # All options specify prefix and query parameters.
+      #
+      # ==== Examples
+      #   Event.delete(2)
+      #   # => DELETE /events/2
+      #
+      #   Event.create(:name => 'Free Concert', :location => 'Community Center')
+      #   my_event = Event.find(:first)
+      #   # => Events (id: 7)
+      #   Event.delete(my_event.id)
+      #   # => DELETE /events/7
+      #
+      #   # Let's assume a request to events/5/cancel.xml
+      #   Event.delete(params[:id])
+      #   # => DELETE /events/5
+      #
+      def delete(id, options = {})
+        connection.delete(element_path(id, options))
+      end
+
+      # Asserts the existence of a resource, returning <tt>true</tt> if the resource is found.
+      #
+      # ==== Examples
+      #   Note.create(:title => 'Hello, world.', :body => 'Nothing more for now...')
+      #   Note.exists?(1)
+      #   # => true
+      #
+      #   Note.exists(1349)
+      #   # => false
+      def exists?(id, options = {})
+        id && !find_single(id, options).nil?
+      rescue ActiveResource::ResourceNotFound
+        false
+      end
+
+      private
+        # Find every resource
+        def find_every(options)
+          case from = options[:from]
+          when Symbol
+            instantiate_collection(get(from, options[:params]))
+          when String
+            path = "#{from}#{query_string(options[:params])}"
+            instantiate_collection(connection.get(path, headers) || [])
+          else
+            prefix_options, query_options = split_options(options[:params])
+            path = collection_path(prefix_options, query_options)
+            instantiate_collection( (connection.get(path, headers) || []), prefix_options )
+          end
+        end
+        
+        # Find a single resource from a one-off URL
+        def find_one(options)
+          case from = options[:from]
+          when Symbol
+            instantiate_record(get(from, options[:params]))
+          when String
+            path = "#{from}#{query_string(options[:params])}"
+            instantiate_record(connection.get(path, headers))
+          end
+        end
+
+        # Find a single resource from the default URL
+        def find_single(scope, options)
+          prefix_options, query_options = split_options(options[:params])
+          path = element_path(scope, prefix_options, query_options)
+          instantiate_record(connection.get(path, headers), prefix_options)
+        end
+        
+        def instantiate_collection(collection, prefix_options = {})
+          collection.collect! { |record| instantiate_record(record, prefix_options) }
+        end
+
+        def instantiate_record(record, prefix_options = {})
+          returning new(record) do |resource|
+            resource.prefix_options = prefix_options
+          end
+        end
+
+
+        # Accepts a URI and creates the site URI from that.
+        def create_site_uri_from(site)
+          site.is_a?(URI) ? site.dup : URI.parse(site)
+        end
+
+        # contains a set of the current prefix parameters.
+        def prefix_parameters
+          @prefix_parameters ||= prefix_source.scan(/:\w+/).map { |key| key[1..-1].to_sym }.to_set
+        end
+
+        # Builds the query string for the request.
+        def query_string(options)
+          "?#{options.to_query}" unless options.nil? || options.empty? 
+        end
+
+        # split an option hash into two hashes, one containing the prefix options, 
+        # and the other containing the leftovers.
+        def split_options(options = {})
+          prefix_options, query_options = {}, {}
+
+          (options || {}).each do |key, value|
+            next if key.blank?
+            (prefix_parameters.include?(key.to_sym) ? prefix_options : query_options)[key.to_sym] = value
+          end
+
+          [ prefix_options, query_options ]
+        end
+    end
+
+    attr_accessor :attributes #:nodoc:
+    attr_accessor :prefix_options #:nodoc:
+
+    # Constructor method for new resources; the optional +attributes+ parameter takes a +Hash+
+    # of attributes for the new resource.
+    #
+    # ==== Examples
+    #   my_course = Course.new
+    #   my_course.name = "Western Civilization"
+    #   my_course.lecturer = "Don Trotter"
+    #   my_course.save
+    #
+    #   my_other_course = Course.new(:name => "Philosophy: Reason and Being", :lecturer => "Ralph Cling")
+    #   my_other_course.save
+    def initialize(attributes = {})
+      @attributes     = {}
+      @prefix_options = {}
+      load(attributes)
+    end
+
+    # A method to determine if the resource a new object (i.e., it has not been POSTed to the remote service yet).
+    #
+    # ==== Examples
+    #   not_new = Computer.create(:brand => 'Apple', :make => 'MacBook', :vendor => 'MacMall')
+    #   not_new.new?
+    #   # => false
+    #
+    #   is_new = Computer.new(:brand => 'IBM', :make => 'Thinkpad', :vendor => 'IBM')
+    #   is_new.new?
+    #   # => true
+    #
+    #   is_new.save
+    #   is_new.new?
+    #   # => false
+    #
+    def new?
+      id.nil?
+    end
+
+    # Get the +id+ attribute of the resource.
+    def id
+      attributes[self.class.primary_key]
+    end
+
+    # Set the +id+ attribute of the resource.
+    def id=(id)
+      attributes[self.class.primary_key] = id
+    end
+
+    # Allows ActiveResource objects to be used as parameters in ActionPack URL generation.
+    def to_param
+      id && id.to_s
+    end
+
+    # Test for equality.  Resource are equal if and only if +other+ is the same object or 
+    # is an instance of the same class, is not +new?+, and has the same +id+.
+    #
+    # ==== Examples
+    #   ryan = Person.create(:name => 'Ryan')
+    #   jamie = Person.create(:name => 'Jamie')
+    #
+    #   ryan == jamie
+    #   # => false (Different name attribute and id)
+    #
+    #   ryan_again = Person.new(:name => 'Ryan')
+    #   ryan == ryan_again
+    #   # => false (ryan_again is new?)
+    #
+    #   ryans_clone = Person.create(:name => 'Ryan')
+    #   ryan == ryans_clone
+    #   # => false (Different id attributes)
+    #
+    #   ryans_twin = Person.find(ryan.id)
+    #   ryan == ryans_twin
+    #   # => true
+    #
+    def ==(other)
+      other.equal?(self) || (other.instance_of?(self.class) && !other.new? && other.id == id)
+    end
+
+    # Tests for equality (delegates to ==).
+    def eql?(other)
+      self == other
+    end
+
+    # Delegates to id in order to allow two resources of the same type and id to work with something like:
+    #   [Person.find(1), Person.find(2)] & [Person.find(1), Person.find(4)] # => [Person.find(1)]
+    def hash
+      id.hash
+    end
+    
+    # Duplicate the current resource without saving it.
+    #
+    # ==== Examples
+    #   my_invoice = Invoice.create(:customer => 'That Company')
+    #   next_invoice = my_invoice.dup
+    #   next_invoice.new?
+    #   # => true
+    #
+    #   next_invoice.save
+    #   next_invoice == my_invoice
+    #   # => false (different id attributes)
+    #
+    #   my_invoice.customer
+    #   # => That Company
+    #   next_invoice.customer
+    #   # => That Company
+    def dup
+      returning self.class.new do |resource|
+        resource.attributes     = @attributes
+        resource.prefix_options = @prefix_options
+      end
+    end
+
+    # A method to save (+POST+) or update (+PUT+) a resource.  It delegates to +create+ if a new object, 
+    # +update+ if it is existing. If the response to the save includes a body, it will be assumed that this body
+    # is XML for the final object as it looked after the save (which would include attributes like +created_at+
+    # that weren't part of the original submit).
+    #
+    # ==== Examples
+    #   my_company = Company.new(:name => 'RoleModel Software', :owner => 'Ken Auer', :size => 2)
+    #   my_company.new?
+    #   # => true
+    #   my_company.save
+    #   # => POST /companies/ (create)
+    #
+    #   my_company.new?
+    #   # => false
+    #   my_company.size = 10
+    #   my_company.save
+    #   # => PUT /companies/1 (update)
+    def save
+      new? ? create : update
+    end
+
+    # Deletes the resource from the remote service.
+    #
+    # ==== Examples
+    #   my_id = 3
+    #   my_person = Person.find(my_id)
+    #   my_person.destroy
+    #   Person.find(my_id)
+    #   # => 404 (Resource Not Found)
+    #   
+    #   new_person = Person.create(:name => 'James')
+    #   new_id = new_person.id 
+    #   # => 7
+    #   new_person.destroy
+    #   Person.find(new_id)
+    #   # => 404 (Resource Not Found)
+    def destroy
+      connection.delete(element_path, self.class.headers)
+    end
+
+    # Evaluates to <tt>true</tt> if this resource is not +new?+ and is
+    # found on the remote service.  Using this method, you can check for
+    # resources that may have been deleted between the object's instantiation
+    # and actions on it.
+    #
+    # ==== Examples
+    #   Person.create(:name => 'Theodore Roosevelt')
+    #   that_guy = Person.find(:first)
+    #   that_guy.exists?
+    #   # => true
+    #
+    #   that_lady = Person.new(:name => 'Paul Bean')
+    #   that_lady.exists?
+    #   # => false
+    #
+    #   guys_id = that_guy.id
+    #   Person.delete(guys_id)
+    #   that_guy.exists?
+    #   # => false
+    def exists?
+      !new? && self.class.exists?(id, :params => prefix_options)
+    end
+
+    # A method to convert the the resource to an XML string.
+    #
+    # ==== Options
+    # The +options+ parameter is handed off to the +to_xml+ method on each
+    # attribute, so it has the same options as the +to_xml+ methods in
+    # ActiveSupport.
+    #
+    # indent:: Set the indent level for the XML output (default is +2+).
+    # dasherize:: Boolean option to determine whether or not element names should
+    #             replace underscores with dashes (default is +false+).
+    # skip_instruct::  Toggle skipping the +instruct!+ call on the XML builder 
+    #                  that generates the XML declaration (default is +false+).
+    #
+    # ==== Examples
+    #   my_group = SubsidiaryGroup.find(:first)
+    #   my_group.to_xml
+    #   # => <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
+    #   #    <subsidiary_group> [...] </subsidiary_group>
+    #
+    #   my_group.to_xml(:dasherize => true)
+    #   # => <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
+    #   #    <subsidiary-group> [...] </subsidiary-group>
+    #
+    #   my_group.to_xml(:skip_instruct => true)
+    #   # => <subsidiary_group> [...] </subsidiary_group>
+    def to_xml(options={})
+      attributes.to_xml({:root => self.class.element_name}.merge(options))
+    end
+
+    # A method to reload the attributes of this object from the remote web service.
+    #
+    # ==== Examples
+    #   my_branch = Branch.find(:first)
+    #   my_branch.name
+    #   # => Wislon Raod
+    #   
+    #   # Another client fixes the typo...
+    #
+    #   my_branch.name
+    #   # => Wislon Raod
+    #   my_branch.reload
+    #   my_branch.name
+    #   # => Wilson Road
+    def reload
+      self.load(self.class.find(id, :params => @prefix_options).attributes)
+    end
+
+    # A method to manually load attributes from a hash. Recursively loads collections of
+    # resources.  This method is called in initialize and create when a +Hash+ of attributes
+    # is provided.
+    #
+    # ==== Examples
+    #   my_attrs = {:name => 'J&J Textiles', :industry => 'Cloth and textiles'}
+    #
+    #   the_supplier = Supplier.find(:first)
+    #   the_supplier.name
+    #   # => 'J&M Textiles'
+    #   the_supplier.load(my_attrs)
+    #   the_supplier.name('J&J Textiles')
+    #
+    #   # These two calls are the same as Supplier.new(my_attrs)
+    #   my_supplier = Supplier.new
+    #   my_supplier.load(my_attrs)
+    #
+    #   # These three calls are the same as Supplier.create(my_attrs)
+    #   your_supplier = Supplier.new
+    #   your_supplier.load(my_attrs)
+    #   your_supplier.save
+    def load(attributes)
+      raise ArgumentError, "expected an attributes Hash, got #{attributes.inspect}" unless attributes.is_a?(Hash)
+      @prefix_options, attributes = split_options(attributes)
+      attributes.each do |key, value|
+        @attributes[key.to_s] =
+          case value
+            when Array
+              resource = find_or_create_resource_for_collection(key)
+              value.map { |attrs| resource.new(attrs) }
+            when Hash
+              resource = find_or_create_resource_for(key)
+              resource.new(value)
+            else
+              value.dup rescue value
+          end
+      end
+      self
+    end
+    
+    # For checking respond_to? without searching the attributes (which is faster).
+    alias_method :respond_to_without_attributes?, :respond_to?
+
+    # A method to determine if an object responds to a message (e.g., a method call). In Active Resource, a +Person+ object with a
+    # +name+ attribute can answer +true+ to +my_person.respond_to?("name")+, +my_person.respond_to?("name=")+, and
+    # +my_person.respond_to?("name?")+.
+    def respond_to?(method, include_priv = false)
+      method_name = method.to_s
+      if attributes.nil?
+        return super
+      elsif attributes.has_key?(method_name)
+        return true 
+      elsif ['?','='].include?(method_name.last) && attributes.has_key?(method_name.first(-1))
+        return true
+      end
+      # super must be called at the end of the method, because the inherited respond_to?
+      # would return true for generated readers, even if the attribute wasn't present
+      super
+    end
+    
+
+    protected
+      def connection(refresh = false)
+        self.class.connection(refresh)
+      end
+
+      # Update the resource on the remote service.
+      def update
+        returning connection.put(element_path(prefix_options), to_xml, self.class.headers) do |response|
+          load_attributes_from_response(response)
+        end
+      end
+
+      # Create (i.e., save to the remote service) the new resource.
+      def create
+        returning connection.post(collection_path, to_xml, self.class.headers) do |response|
+          self.id = id_from_response(response)
+          load_attributes_from_response(response)
+        end
+      end
+      
+      def load_attributes_from_response(response)
+        if response['Content-size'] != "0" && response.body.strip.size > 0
+          load(self.class.format.decode(response.body))
+        end
+      end
+
+      # Takes a response from a typical create post and pulls the ID out
+      def id_from_response(response)
+        response['Location'][/\/([^\/]*?)(\.\w+)?$/, 1]
+      end
+
+      def element_path(options = nil)
+        self.class.element_path(id, options || prefix_options)
+      end
+
+      def collection_path(options = nil)
+        self.class.collection_path(options || prefix_options)
+      end
+
+    private
+      # Tries to find a resource for a given collection name; if it fails, then the resource is created
+      def find_or_create_resource_for_collection(name)
+        find_or_create_resource_for(name.to_s.singularize)
+      end
+      
+      # Tries to find a resource for a given name; if it fails, then the resource is created
+      def find_or_create_resource_for(name)
+        resource_name = name.to_s.camelize
+
+        # FIXME: Make it generic enough to support any depth of module nesting
+        if (ancestors = self.class.name.split("::")).size > 1
+          begin
+            ancestors.first.constantize.const_get(resource_name)
+          rescue NameError
+            self.class.const_get(resource_name)
+          end
+        else
+          self.class.const_get(resource_name)
+        end
+      rescue NameError
+        resource = self.class.const_set(resource_name, Class.new(ActiveResource::Base))
+        resource.prefix = self.class.prefix
+        resource.site   = self.class.site
+        resource
+      end
+
+      def split_options(options = {})
+        self.class.send!(:split_options, options)
+      end
+
+      def method_missing(method_symbol, *arguments) #:nodoc:
+        method_name = method_symbol.to_s
+
+        case method_name.last
+          when "="
+            attributes[method_name.first(-1)] = arguments.first
+          when "?"
+            attributes[method_name.first(-1)]
+          else
+            attributes.has_key?(method_name) ? attributes[method_name] : super
+        end
+      end
+  end
+end