Custom authenticate

1_api_base_controller.rb

class Api::BaseController < ApplicationController
  skip_before_filter :verify_authenticity_token
  before_action :myTS_authenticate!

  private

  def myTS_authenticate!
    if request.env['PATH_INFO'] =~ /api_data_sync/
      data_sync_api_authentication
    else
      authenticate_user!
    end
  end

  def data_sync_api_authentication
    authenticate_or_request_with_http_token do |token, options|
      if token == ENV['API_SYNC_TOKEN']
        user = User.sync_data_user
        sign_in(user, false)
      end
    end
  end

end

2_routes.rb

Rails.application.routes.draw do
  #...

  scope :api_data_sync, defaults: { format: 'json' } do
    scope :v1 do
      resources :users, only: [:update], controller: 'api/v1/pd_resources', as: :api_sync_users
      resources :pd_resources, controller: 'api/v1/pd_resources', as: :api_sync_pd_resources
    end
  end


  # anything not matched by the above should be served the front-end index page
  get "/*path" => "home#index"

end

3_user.rb

class User < ActiveRecord::Base
  #...

  # == Class Methods
  def self.sync_data_user
    find_by(email: '[email protected]')
    # TODO: should we create this user here if it's not present?
    #find_or_initialize_by(email: '[email protected]')
    #user.first_name = 'API Sync'
    #user.last_name  = 'User'
    #user.password   = 'testing'
    #user.roles      = Role.admin
    #user.save
  end

  #...

end