gistfile1.txt

class Calendar < ActiveRecord::Base
 has_many :reservations

end

class Reservation < ActiveRecord::Base
 belongs_to :calendar

 def self.search(search_fields)
    results = self #this is where I'd like to access the collection search was called on
    search_fields.each do |k, v|
      results.send(k.to_sym, v)
    end
    return results
  end

  def self.search_email(email)
    where("email like '%#{email}%'")
  end
end

Questions:
1) Why does @calendar.reservations.search_email("test") work, but Reservation.all.search_email("test") does not. Both are arrays and that behavior seems inconsistant

2) When I call @calendar.reservations.search({:search_email => "test"}) what's the best way to maintain the scope of @calendar.reservations

What is this? I don't even.

Working on search forms sans searchlogic. Takes params passed in from the form_tag form and calls methods on each one to narrow scope...or at least that's the idea

Does self not refer to the target of the search?

nope, appears to be a reference to the Reservation class

Reservation.search_email("test").all should work. The order of these things matters. Also, @calendar.reservations isn't pulled from the database until the data is needed, but calling "#all" pulls from the db immediately, so you can't use "#where" after it.