activerecord - how to override HABTM table in rails -

i having using rails 3 , have habtm(has_and_belongs_to_many) between users <-> emails user have roles defined users subs, pubs have model references mapping.

i want send emails trash/spam/etc 1 single user. how can achieve, if delete 1 email it'll removed every user having habtm. want show email trashed/spam etc. have wild thought of overriding habtm table setting spam/trash flags/columns in table, when user marks spam/trash email. he'll able work there way/convention that.

i reckon can away setting associations shown below. note dependent: :destroy. when delete user activerecord cause call dependent: :destroy on model , delete associated model it.

class user < activerecord::base    has_many :emails, through: :user_emails   has_many :emails, dependent: destroy  end   class useremail < activerecord::base   belongs_to :user    belongs_to :email  end    class email < activerecord::base    has_many :users, :through: :user_emails    has_many :user_emails, :dependent: :destroy  end  

you can have under polymorphic associations. helps

update querying has_many association

 @useremail = useremail.find(:all,     :joins => :user, :email,     :conditions => ["email.email_trashed = ? ", true]      ) 

not 100% work reckon along them lines.