ruby - How to extend a custom rails method? -

i have rails model called projects:

class project < activerecord::base 

that has variety of toggle switches, such active, started, paid, etc.

i have method return status in human readable format:

def status   return 'pending' if self.pending?   return 'started' if self.started   return 'in review' if self.in_review?   return 'approved' if self.approved   return 'active' if self.active end 

right have method called status! returns same information in symbol form, inefficient in mind:

def status   return :pending if self.pending?   return :started if self.started   return :awarded if self.awarded   return :in_review if self.in_review?   return :approved if self.approved   return :active if self.active end 

what more status.to_sym can't figure out how make happen.

any thoughts?

how this:

def status   return 'pending' if self.pending?   return 'started' if self.started   return 'in review' if self.in_review?   return 'approved' if self.approved   return 'active' if self.active end  def status!   # added gsub otherwise 'in review' returned ':in review'   status.gsub(/\s+/, "_").downcase.to_sym   # status.parameterize.underscore.to_sym <- option, rails end