class Object # An object is blank if it's false, empty, or a whitespace string. # For example, "", " ", +nil+, [], and {} are blank. # # This simplifies: # # if !address.nil? && !address.empty? # # ...to: # # if !address.blank? def blank? respond_to?(:empty?) ? empty? : !self end # An object is present if it's not blank. def present? !blank? end # Returns object if it's #present? otherwise returns nil. # object.presence is equivalent to object.present? ? object : nil. # # This is handy for any representation of objects where blank is the same # as not present at all. For example, this simplifies a common check for # HTTP POST/query parameters: # # state = params[:state] if params[:state].present? # country = params[:country] if params[:country].present? # region = state || country || 'US' # # ...becomes: # # region = params[:state].presence || params[:country].presence || 'US' def presence self if present? end end class NilClass #:nodoc: def blank? true end end class FalseClass #:nodoc: def blank? true end end class TrueClass #:nodoc: def blank? false end end class Array #:nodoc: alias_method :blank?, :empty? end class Hash #:nodoc: alias_method :blank?, :empty? end class String #:nodoc: def blank? self !~ /\S/ end end class Numeric #:nodoc: def blank? false end end