gistfile1.rb

# Include this module in your ActiveRecord model to gain a filter scope
# Filter applies the supplied query to given attributes (or all attributes if none are given)
#
# example:
#  
#   User.filter('Bob', [:first_name, :last_name])
#
# returns all users with 'bob' in their first or last name
module Lico
  module FilterScope
    def self.included(base)
      base.class_eval do
        scope :filter, lambda { |query, attributes|
          return if query.blank?

          collection = self

          attributes = collection.new.attributes unless attributes
          query.split(/\s/).each do |phrase|
            conditions = [""]
            attributes.each do |attribute|
              conditions[0] += attribute.to_s + " LIKE ? OR "
              conditions.push "%#{phrase}%"
            end
            conditions[0] = conditions[0].sub(/ OR $/,"")
            collection = collection.where(conditions)
          end

          collection
        }
      end
    end
  end
end