Method to print the contents of a table. While running tests, I regularly find myself wondering what the contents of certain tables are during a test -- here's a function that prints the contents of a table to stdout.

gistfile1.rb

  def print_table_contents(model_klass, columns=nil)
    columns ||= model_klass.column_names
    column_widths = {}
    columns.each { |col| column_widths[col] = col.to_s.length }
    objects = model_klass.all
    objects.each do |obj|
      columns.each do |col|
        len = obj[col].to_s.length
        column_widths[col] = len if len > column_widths[col]
      end
    end
    formats = {}
    horiz_line = "+" + columns.map do |col|
      wid = column_widths[col]
      formats[col] = " %#{wid}s "
      "-"*(wid+2)
    end.join("+") + "+"
    puts horiz_line
    puts "|" + columns.map { |col| formats[col] % col }.join("|") + "|"
    puts horiz_line
    objects.each do |obj|
      row = columns.map { |col| formats[col] % obj[col] }.join("|")
      puts "|#{row}|"
    end
    puts horiz_line
    puts
    puts "#{model_klass.count} records"
  end