ruby on rails - Issue converting currency from string in before_validation callback -

i'm having issue stripping dollar signs , commas out of currency before validations run. reason value being set 0 when saved.

class property < activerecord::base   before_validation :format_currency    validates :street_name_1, presence: true   validates :city, presence: true   validates :state, presence: true   validates :postal_code, presence: true   validates :rate, presence: true, numericality: true    private   def format_currency     self.rate = rate.to_s.gsub(/[^0-9\.]/, '').to_i # strip out non-numeric characters   end  end 

when '$3,500'.to_s.gsub(/[^0-9\.]/, '').to_i in rails console correctly returns "3500". rate being passed in model form well.

for life of me can't figure out why it's not setting value on save. appreciated.

edit: needed override default setter , gsub when rate set due database column being integer.

def rate=(rate)     write_attribute(:rate, rate.to_s.gsub(/[^0-9\.]/, '').to_i) end 

since storing rate column integer, , using rails, propose remove format_currency method entirely. rails has method deal currencies already: number_to_currency.

when want output price, simple use helper:

number_to_currency @property.rate 

this gives greater flexibility too, since can localise , pass number of other options. have @ api.

edit, per op editing question:

if want save in format, why don't apply dollar sine in model?

before_save :set_rate def set_rate   self.rate = "$#{rate}" end