(Ruby,Rails,Javascript) Redirecting/Rendering a different page when Javascript is disabled...?

Question

I'm having severe issues with Rails, Javascript, and redirects. Basically I have the "simple" issue of redirecting to a different page if JS is disabled. If JS is enabled, then I add a new item inline immediately -- this works like a charm. However, if JS is disabled I want to redirect to the NEW page of a different controller. Basically the model setup is as such:

Site -> Buildings -> Controllers (not to be confused with Rails "controllers")

I have a "SiteManagerController" that uses JS to manage the whole thing. Basically I have a scenario where I'm trying to do the following:

1) if JS is enabled I want to add the item inline 2) if JS is disabled, I wish to render ":controller => buildings, :action => new"

My "link_to_remote" is straightforward. As I said, it works for JS. My rails controller code is as follows:

def add_building @building = Building.new @building.name = "Untitled" @building.site_id = params[:id] @building.save respond_to do |format| format.html {redirect_to :controller => "buildings", :action => "new"} format.js end end

This does not work. For what it's worth, when viewing page source there is no indication that anything is different when JS is enabled vs disabled. All links look the same -- i.e. Ajaxy.

I know it shouldn't be this complex an issue, but I'm rather stumped.

Best.

P.S. Please don't change the title of this post. ;)

You could reduce all of the @building stuff to Building.create({:name => "Untitled", :site_id => params[:id]}). :) — epochwolf
Yeah, that's aaaaaall leftovers from trying to be as verbose as possible. Thanks though. — humble_coder

zgchurch zgchurch · Accepted Answer · 2009-06-20T02:24:28

The link_to_remote solution mentioned would probably work, but if you're looking for an unobtrusive way to do it, you use some javascript (jQuery) like this:

in your .html.erb file:

<%=link_to "New Building", new_building_path, :id => 'new_building_link' %>

in a javascript file:

$(document).load(function() {
  $("#new_building_link").click(function() {
    $.ajax({
      type:     "POST",  # or whatever http method you need
      url:      "/buildings/add_building",
      dataType: "script"
    });
    return false;
  });
});

Then return some JS that will update the area of the page you want to change.

I'm sure there's a similar way to do it with Prototype, the default JS library for rails, but I don't know Prototype.

Also note that this uses restful routes (new_building_path rather than specifying the controller and the action). This is the preferred method now; you'd just need to add 'map.resources :buildings' to routes.rb. There are a couple of Railscasts about restful routes, and if you have $9 to drop, a Peepcode.

As one of the comments mentioned you could shrink your Building creation code by using: Building.create({:name => "Untitled", :site_id => params[:id]})

(Ruby,Rails,Javascript) Redirecting/Rendering a different page when Javascript is disabled...?

3 Answers