How to improve setting and getting temp variables around a block of code?

Question

I am using Ruby on Rails v3.2.2 and globalize3 v0.2.0 ruby-gems. Since I would like to update translation data for an object (so to store proper data by using globalize3) I am using the following code in my controller file:

# Note how I set locale variables.
def update
  temp_locale = I18n.locale
  I18n.locale = 'it' # 'it' stands for italian

  @article = Article.find(params[:id])

  respond_to do |format|
    if @article.update_attributes(params[:article])
      format.html { redirect_to article_path(@article), notice: 'Article was successfully updated.' }
    else
      format.html { render action: "edit" }
    end
  end

  I18n.locale = temp_locale
end

The above code works as expected (that is, it updates translated data in the database for the italian language), but I think the way I am setting local variables is wrong, or at least not right at all or, maybe, not maintenable/readable. There is a way to improve that? Or, generally speaking, there is a way to improve setting and getting temp variables around a block of code? What do you advice about?

Answer 1

I looked in the code for the i18n and found this:

I18n.with_locale('it') do
  # Italian stuff
end

It even validates your the input and employs an ensure clause to recover in case the black raises an error.

Here's the documentation: http://rubydoc.info/docs/rails/2.3.8/I18n.with_locale