This model allows you to manipulate your variables as Setting.apple = {:color => "red", :taste => "sweet"}, and fetch data like this Setting.apple.color # => 'red'

Rails dynamic model

require 'ostruct'

class Setting < ActiveRecord::Base
  class SettingNotFound < RuntimeError ; end
  
  validates_uniqueness_of :key
  serialize :value

  class << self

    attr_accessor :data

    def method_missing(mid, *args) # :nodoc:
      mname = mid.id2name
      len = args.length
      if mname.chomp!('=')
        if len != 1
          raise ArgumentError, "wrong number of arguments (#{len} for 1)", caller(1)
        end
        unless args[0].class == Hash
          data[mname.to_sym] = args[0]
          create( :s_type => args[0].class.to_s, :key => mname.to_sym, :value => args[0] )
        else
          value = OpenStruct.new args[0]
          data[mname.to_sym] = value
          create( :s_type => args[0].class.to_s, :key => mname.to_sym, :value => value )
        end
      elsif len == 0 and !!data[mid]
        data[mid]
      else
        raise NoMethodError, "undefined method `#{mname}' for #{self}", caller(1)
      end
    end

    def data
      @data if @data
      @data ||= refresh!
    end

    def refresh!
      info = {}
      find_each do |s|
          info[s.key.to_sym] = s.value
      end
      info
    end

  end

end