When I load script/console, sometimes I want to play with the output of a controller or a view helper method.
Are there ways to:
To call helpers, use the helper object:
$ ./script/console
>> helper.number_to_currency('123.45')
=> "R$ 123,45"
If you want to use a helper that's not included by default (say, because you removed helper :all from ApplicationController), just include the helper.
>> include BogusHelper
>> helper.bogus
=> "bogus output"
As for dealing with controllers, I quote Nick's answer:
> app.get '/posts/1' > response = app.response # you now have a rails response object much like the integration tests > response.body # get you the HTML > response.cookies # hash of the cookies # etc, etc
An easy way to call a controller action from a script/console and view/manipulate the response object is:
> app.get '/posts/1'
> response = app.response
# You now have a Ruby on Rails response object much like the integration tests
> response.body # Get you the HTML
> response.cookies # Hash of the cookies
# etc., etc.
The app object is an instance of ActionController::Integration::Session
This works for me using Ruby on Rails 2.1 and 2.3, and I did not try earlier versions.
If you need to test from the console (tested on Ruby on Rails 3.1 and 4.1):
Call Controller Actions:
app.get '/'
app.response
app.response.headers # => { "Content-Type"=>"text/html", ... }
app.response.body # => "<!DOCTYPE html>\n<html>\n\n<head>\n..."
ApplicationController methods:
foo = ActionController::Base::ApplicationController.new
foo.public_methods(true||false).sort
foo.some_method
Route Helpers:
app.myresource_path # => "/myresource"
app.myresource_url # => "http://www.example.com/myresource"
View Helpers:
foo = ActionView::Base.new
foo.javascript_include_tag 'myscript' #=> "<script src=\"/javascripts/myscript.js\"></script>"
helper.link_to "foo", "bar" #=> "<a href=\"bar\">foo</a>"
ActionController::Base.helpers.image_tag('logo.png') #=> "<img alt=\"Logo\" src=\"/images/logo.png\" />"
Render:
views = Rails::Application::Configuration.new(Rails.root).paths["app/views"]
views_helper = ActionView::Base.new views
views_helper.render 'myview/mytemplate'
views_helper.render file: 'myview/_mypartial', locals: {my_var: "display:block;"}
views_helper.assets_prefix #=> '/assets'
ActiveSupport methods:
require 'active_support/all'
1.week.ago
=> 2013-08-31 10:07:26 -0300
a = {'a'=>123}
a.symbolize_keys
=> {:a=>123}
Lib modules:
> require 'my_utils'
=> true
> include MyUtils
=> Object
> MyUtils.say "hi"
evaluate: hi
=> true
Here's one way to do this through the console:
>> foo = ActionView::Base.new
=> #<ActionView::Base:0x2aaab0ac2af8 @assigns_added=nil, @assigns={}, @helpers=#<ActionView::Base::ProxyModule:0x2aaab0ac2a58>, @controller=nil, @view_paths=[]>
>> foo.extend YourHelperModule
=> #<ActionView::Base:0x2aaab0ac2af8 @assigns_added=nil, @assigns={}, @helpers=#<ActionView::Base::ProxyModule:0x2aaab0ac2a58>, @controller=nil, @view_paths=[]>
>> foo.your_helper_method(args)
=> "<html>created by your helper</html>"
Creating a new instance of ActionView::Base gives you access to the normal view methods that your helper likely uses. Then extending YourHelperModule mixes its methods into your object letting you view their return values.
Here is how to make an authenticated POST request, using Refinery as an example:
# Start Rails console
rails console
# Get the login form
app.get '/community_members/sign_in'
# View the session
app.session.to_hash
# Copy the CSRF token "_csrf_token" and place it in the login request.
# Log in from the console to create a session
app.post '/community_members/login', {"authenticity_token"=>"gT7G17RNFaWUDLC6PJGapwHk/OEyYfI1V8yrlg0lHpM=", "refinery_user[login]"=>'chloe', 'refinery_user[password]'=>'test'}
# View the session to verify CSRF token is the same
app.session.to_hash
# Copy the CSRF token "_csrf_token" and place it in the request. It's best to edit this in Notepad++
app.post '/refinery/blog/posts', {"authenticity_token"=>"gT7G17RNFaWUDLC6PJGapwHk/OEyYfI1V8yrlg0lHpM=", "switch_locale"=>"en", "post"=>{"title"=>"Test", "homepage"=>"0", "featured"=>"0", "magazine"=>"0", "refinery_category_ids"=>["1282"], "body"=>"Tests do a body good.", "custom_teaser"=>"", "draft"=>"0", "tag_list"=>"", "published_at(1i)"=>"2014", "published_at(2i)"=>"5", "published_at(3i)"=>"27", "published_at(4i)"=>"21", "published_at(5i)"=>"20", "custom_url"=>"", "source_url_title"=>"", "source_url"=>"", "user_id"=>"56", "browser_title"=>"", "meta_description"=>""}, "continue_editing"=>"false", "locale"=>:en}
You might find these useful too if you get an error:
app.cookies.to_hash
app.flash.to_hash
app.response # long, raw, HTML
Another way to do this is to use the Ruby on Rails debugger. There's a Ruby on Rails guide about debugging at http://guides.rubyonrails.org/debugging_rails_applications.html
Basically, start the server with the -u option:
./script/server -u
And then insert a breakpoint into your script where you would like to have access to the controllers, helpers, etc.
class EventsController < ApplicationController
def index
debugger
end
end
And when you make a request and hit that part in the code, the server console will return a prompt where you can then make requests, view objects, etc. from a command prompt. When finished, just type 'cont' to continue execution. There are also options for extended debugging, but this should at least get you started.
In Ruby on Rails 3, try this:
session = ActionDispatch::Integration::Session.new(Rails.application)
session.get(url)
body = session.response.body
The body will contain the HTML of the URL.
How to route and render (dispatch) from a model in Ruby on Rails 3
The earlier answers are calling helpers, but the following will help for calling controller methods. I have used this on Ruby on Rails 2.3.2.
First add the following code to your .irbrc file (which can be in your home directory)
class Object
def request(options = {})
url=app.url_for(options)
app.get(url)
puts app.html_document.root.to_s
end
end
Then in the Ruby on Rails console you can type something like...
request(:controller => :show, :action => :show_frontpage)
...and the HTML will be dumped to the console.
For controllers, you can instantiate a controller object in the Ruby on Rails console.
For example,
class CustomPagesController < ApplicationController
def index
@customs = CustomPage.all
end
def get_number
puts "Got the Number"
end
protected
def get_private_number
puts 'Got private Number'
end
end
custom = CustomPagesController.new
2.1.5 :011 > custom = CustomPagesController.new
=> #<CustomPagesController:0xb594f77c @_action_has_layout=true, @_routes=nil, @_headers={"Content-Type"=>"text/html"}, @_status=200, @_request=nil, @_response=nil>
2.1.5 :014 > custom.get_number
Got the Number
=> nil
# For calling private or protected methods,
2.1.5 :048 > custom.send(:get_private_number)
Got private Number
=> nil
Inside any controller action or view, you can invoke the console by calling the console method.
For example, in a controller:
class PostsController < ApplicationController
def new
console
@post = Post.new
end
end
Or in a view:
<% console %>
<h2>New Post</h2>
This will render a console inside your view. You don't need to care about the location of the console call; it won't be rendered on the spot of its invocation but next to your HTML content.
See: http://guides.rubyonrails.org/debugging_rails_applications.html
If you have added your own helper and you want its methods to be available in console, do:
include YourHelperNamemethod_name(args) in the console.Example: say you have MyHelper (with a method my_method) in 'app/helpers/my_helper.rb`, then in the console do:
include MyHelpermy_helper.my_method