Michael,
I've been thinking about your original post quite a bit. I think it
would be best to have a "search" controller, which you probably
already have that intercepts any search related parameters. For
instance, you could have a basic search action as well as an advanced
search action. For both of these actions, you'll probably want to
consolidate any database interactions into a single protected method
where you then query the specific models you're trying to search
against.
Don't always think you have to stick to the "Rails way" 100%. A lot
of times, you're going to need to fall back on your best instincts
and just solve the problem. If you wanted to get really fancy, you
could write a class or plugin that you mix-in to the models you want
searchable. I'd be interested in helping you out with this further.
Let me know if this helps...
-Jordan
On Feb 7, 2007, at 11:48 AM, Michael Frederick wrote:
Thanks for the feedback, Tom. Let me try again from a higher level.
I want to make an advanced search page. Now, all the search parameters
I'm interested in are not simply attributes of a single model. They
may be attributes that come through many different relationships.
I'm trying to use form_helpers, but they generate inconsistencies and
bugs when combined with url_for. So, any other ideas?
- Michael
Date: Mon, 05 Feb 2007 11:46:08 -0800
From: Tom Werner <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: Re: [Sdruby] Re: Rails questions and problems
To: [email protected]
Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
I think it's a problem of not understanding what you're trying to
accomplish. Can you explain your interface and requirements at a
higher
level. There's probably an elegant Rails solution but we need to know
exactly how you want it to behave.
Tom
Michael Frederick wrote:
> Sorry for the bump, but I think some of the excitement over
railsconf
> may have overshadowed my questions. :-)
>
> On 2/1/07, Michael Frederick <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>> I've been having some problems with designing an advanced
search page,
>> and how to integrate the functionality with normal Rails
paradigms.
>>
>> The basic approach has been to make a search object, and I have
done
>> this (for now) by using a Struct. This way, I can use the
>> form_helpers, and they will receive the default value of the
search
>> param corresponding to each field. Should I try and make this a
model
>> instead? Or some other type of class that will integrate well?
>>
>> So, I use form_helpers, and then I want to be able to allow
further
>> refining and reordering of the search using links. It's not
exactly
>> pagination, but it's a similar idea. But currently, with either
Edge
>> Rails or 1.2, url_for breaks on params generated with
form_helpers.
>> Specifically, it doesn't handle nested params of the form foo
[bar],
>> which is what form_helpers generate.
>>
>> I then found some helper scripts online at
>> http://www.marklunds.com/articles/one/314
>> This helps retain the correct nested params, but then there is
another
>> problem with multi-valued selects (and I guess checkboxes).
Instead of
>> generating urls like:
>>
>> index?foo[bar][]=1&foo[bar][]=2
>>
>> with url_for you get one like:
>>
>> index?foo[bar][]=1/2
>>
>> Which then is not interpreted correctly later on reentry into
Rails.
>>
>> So, is there a better way to handle this? I'd like to get the
>> multi-valued stuff working somehow. Maybe the fault lies in the
>> combination of the form_helpers and the url_for (and link_to), but
>> that would seem to be a major blemish on Rails. If I can use
all that
>> stuff, it makes all of my form elements one-liners, and very
easy to
>> read and re-use.
>>
>> Sorry for the novel-length post...
>>
>> - Michael
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