Add http(s) to URL if it's not there?

Question

I\'m using this regex in my model to validate an URL submitted by the user. I don\'t want to force the user to type the http part, but would like to add it myself if it\'s n

Answer 1

The accepted answer is quite okay. But if the field (url) is optional, it may raise an error such as undefined method + for nil class. The following should resolve that:

def smart_add_url_protocol
  if self.url && !url_protocol_present?
    self.url = "http://#{self.url}"
  end
end

def url_protocol_present?
  self.url[/\Ahttp:\/\//] || self.url[/\Ahttps:\/\//]
end

Answer 2

Use a before filter to add it if it is not there:

before_validation :smart_add_url_protocol

protected

def smart_add_url_protocol
  unless self.url[/\Ahttp:\/\//] || self.url[/\Ahttps:\/\//]
    self.url = "http://#{self.url}"
  end
end

Leave the validation you have in, that way if they make a typo they can correct the protocol.

Answer 3

Using some of the aforementioned regexps, here is a handy method for overriding the default url on a model (If your ActiveRecord model has an 'url' column, for instance)

def url
  _url = read_attribute(:url).try(:downcase)
  if(_url.present?)
    unless _url[/\Ahttp:\/\//] || _url[/\Ahttps:\/\//]
      _url = "http://#{_url}"
    end
  end
_url
end

Answer 4

Don't do this with a regex, use URI.parse to pull it apart and then see if there is a scheme on the URL:

u = URI.parse('/pancakes')
if(!u.scheme)
  # prepend http:// and try again
elsif(%w{http https}.include?(u.scheme))
  # you're okay
else
  # you've been give some other kind of
  # URL and might want to complain about it
end

Using the URI library for this also makes it easy to clean up any stray nonsense (such as userinfo) that someone might try to put into a URL.

Answer 5

I wouldn't try to do that in the validation, since it's not really part of the validation.

Have the validation optionally check for it; if they screw it up it'll be a validation error, which is good.

Consider using a callback (after_create, after_validation, whatever) to prepend a protocol if there isn't one there already.

(I voted up the other answers; I think they're both better than mine. But here's another option :)

Answer 6

Based on mu's answer, here's the code I'm using in my model. This runs when :link is saved without the need for model filters. Super is required to call the default save method.

def link=(_link)
    u=URI.parse(_link)

    if (!u.scheme)
        link = "http://" + _link
    else
        link = _link
    end
    super(link)
end