Storing comma separated list in db column, how to get and set?

I want to store a comma separated list in a database column like:

234234,2134234,2453245,2345

I then want to get this list, and use it in a query like:

u = User.f开发者_开发技巧ind("where some_id in (?)", my_comman_seperated_list)

I have to convert this into an array then right?

Define your column as text, and in ActiveRecord declare that the column as serialized:

serialize :my_column

Now that column will be stored as [234234,2134234,2453245,2345], and when you get that object, the attribute will be an array you can pass into your find.

Is there are a reason this must be in a column, rather than as a separate table? It might make more sense to create a new model for the data being stored in that column, and then store one value in each row, which belongs_to :user.