acts_as_executor seamlessly integrates Java’s Executor framework with Ruby on Rails, enabling an application to use executors in a familiar Rails’eque way.

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• Abstraction from low-level executor type configuration
• ActiveRecord interface so creating an executor or task is as simple is creating a record
• Automatic Task Setup so you can concentrate on business logic and not task management
• Database Persisted Configuration so executors can be managed through migrations and seeds
• Logging of executor and task states to Rails or custom logger

gem "acts_as_executor"

...or for life on the edge, use the master branch

gem "acts_as_executor", :git => "git@github.com:philostler/acts_as_executor.git"

Generate models and migration using...

rails g acts_as_executor:install <model_name>

Example

rails g acts_as_executor:install Executor
      create  app/models/executor.rb
      create  app/models/executor_task.rb
      create  db/migrate/20110922223408_create_executors.rb

You'll first need to create an executor to schedule tasks upon.

Executor.create :name => "background"

These can be created on the fly at runtime (be sure to save the record before you schedule any tasks) or preconfigured via records already present in the database. The recommended method is to add the applications required executors to the database seed file and running rake db:seed.

Attributes max_tasks and schedulable exist on the executors model for task limiting and schedulable ability enabling. Check out the wiki documentation for details of how these work.

Using Executors

Once you have an executor available, it's time to add some tasks. Do this like you would any associated record.

Executor.find_by_name("background").tasks.create(:executable => "BackgroundTask",
                                                 :arguments => { :data => "This is my data"})

The executable attribute references a class that must...

• Be available in the load path
• Subclass ActsAsExecutor::Task::Executable
• Define an execute method

Use the provided generator to create new executables...

rails g acts_as_executor:executable <executable_name>

Example

rails g acts_as_executor:executable Executable
      create  app/executables/executable.rb

Anything passed into the attributes hash will be available to the instance when it is executed.

Attributes schedule, start, every and units exist on the tasks model for defining the type and periods for scheduling and their units. Check out the wiki documentation for details of how these work.

Using Tasks

• JRuby 1.6.x (1.8.7 and 1.9.2 modes)
• Rails 3.x