ruby on rails - Not sure how to optimize active record association -

i have piece of code gets associated object id, otherwise initializes new object.

def pick_for_game(game_id)    picks.find_or_initialize_by_game_id(game_id) end 

the picks collection typically have several hundred items in it. 2 use cases are:

1. i want call method 15-30 games

2. i want call method games

seems current approach ok use case a, absolutely terrible use case b. make method complicated based on whether or not picks has been eagerly loaded following:

def pick_for_game(game_id)   if picks.loaded?     new_pick = proc {       pick.new |p|         p.game_id = game_id       end     }     picks.detect(new_pick) |p|       p.game_id == game_id     end   else     picks.find_or_initialize_by_game_id(game_id)   end end 

however, picking 1 approach on other cases have merit other making code little cleaner? other solutions problem?

assuming pick model, if know list of game_ids can fetch existing picks specified games in 1 query , initialize new picks remaining game_ids:

def picks_for_games( game_ids )   existing_picks = pick.all( :conditions => { :game_id => game_ids } )   game_ids_without_picks = game_ids - existing_picks.map{ |x| x.game_id }   new_picks = game_ids_without_picks.map {                  |game_id| pick.initialize_by_game_id( game_id )                }   return picks + new_picks end 

you switch between 2 implementations depending on:

if game_ids.is_a?( array ) 

an option b) add association on game picks reference can query games have no pick(s) , initialize pick each.

game.all( :conditions => { :picks => nil } ).map { |game| pick.initialize_by_game_id( game.id ) }