html - rails alternative to enum and view integration -

rails doesn't offer enum types, need data member can accept 5 values. moreover, want integrated automatically rails forms helper: select_tag.
what's right solution situation?

p.s, i'd rather not use external plugins, if built-in , neat solution exist.

i keep functionality close it's used possible.

if values used single model, keep them in model, e.g., if users have possible types, , types, might like:

class user < activerecord::base   types = %w{guest, paid, admin}    # plus validation on `type` field.   # maybe plus setter override validates. end 

when need refer types elsewhere, allowable values in select:

user::types 

there number of valuable tweaks around this, providing decorators make them "human readable" (capitalized, spaced, whatever) or metaprogramming methods allow things like:

user.is_guest?   # or... user.make_guest! # or... user.guest! 

i use own small gem functionality because it's case full-blown association , provides no value. allows things like:

class user < activerecord::base   simple_enum :user_type, %w{guest, paid, admin} end