Upload images to paperclip with remote uri's

environment.rb

require 'open-uri'

model.rb

#flickr image is your virtual attribute, where as image is your paperclip configured field

def flickr_image=(url)
  unless url.strip.blank?
    io = open(URI.parse(url))
    def io.original_filename; base_uri.path.split('/').last; end
    self.image = io.original_filename.blank? ? nil : io
  end  
end
  
def flickr_image
    
end

new.html.erb

<% form_for @model do |f| %>
  <%= f.text_field :flickr_image %> 
<% end %>
<!-- enter the url containing image in the text field -->