title: How do I access my rails database from a task in lib/tasks?
body: <p>I am developing an app that needs to send text messages, so I have carrier information stored in a database.  I also need that information in an XML file for client side code to read.  To make this happen, I am writing a script that reads the carrier information from the DB and creates an XML file in the config directory.  I felt this script would fit best in lib/tasks.</p>
  
  <p>I need to access the database from this script, but I want to use some object to access it.  If I use </p>
  
  <pre><code>db = Mysql.new("domain", "username", "password", "database")
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>I will have to keep multiple versions for different environments because I do not use MySQL all the time.  That would be very sloppy.  I am sure there is a way to do this.  I tried to just access the object...this is what I have so far:</p>
  
  <pre><code>RAILS_HOME = File.expand_path(File.join(File.dirname(__FILE__),"../.."))
  RAILS_CONFIG = "#{RAILS_HOME}/config"
  
  f = File.new("#{RAILS_CONFIG}/mls_widget_config.xml", "w")
  carriers = Carrier.find_all
  f.write carriers
  f.close
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>But Carrier is not defined, which makes sense.  How can I give this script access to the the Carrier object in the DB?</p>
  
  <p>Also as a side, if anyone knows how to easily convert what I read from the DB into proper XML that would be great.  I was going to write something custom real quick.</p>
  
  <p>Thank you! </p>