Editing large strings using vi from rails console or irb

README

load 'irb_editor.rb'

c = Contest.first
c.description         # => Prints the original description
c.description.edit!   # => This launches the vi editor. Edit the content in the editor and type :wq
c.save!

irb_editor.rb

# Ability to edit a large string using your favourite editor - vi

require 'tempfile'

class IrbEditor

  TMP_FILE_NAME = "irb_tempfile"

  # Right now it supports vi only. Other possible values:
  # => 'mate -w'
  # => 'nane'
  # => 'emacs'
  EDITOR_COMMAND = 'vi'
  
  attr_accessor :file

  def initialize
    self.file = Tempfile.new([TMP_FILE_NAME, '.rb'])
  end

  def edit(value)
    File.open(self.file.path, 'w') { |f|  f.puts(value) }
    system("#{EDITOR_COMMAND} #{self.file.path}")
    return self
  end

  def read
    IO.read(self.file.path).chomp
  end

end

# Extending the string class itself!
String.class_eval do

  IRB.conf[:irb_editor] = IrbEditor.new

  def edit!
    self.replace(self.edit)
  end

  def edit
    IRB.conf[:irb_editor].edit(self).read
  end

end

I'd rather use ENV['EDITOR'] instead of hardcoding the editor

I'd love to see the ability to update the whole record instead of just one attribute at a time too. :)