CODEWITHSUNDEEP
javascriptruby-on-rails
Arel
Arel

Reputation: 3938

Rails: js file in view folder isn't getting called

I have a js file called create.js.erb that is in my view folder. It's supposed to be called when I try to create a record, but it isn't being called. I can't figure out why, and to be totally honest, don't even know how my app calls a js file in the view folder, so I'm not sure what code to paste here to help debug the problem.

Can anyone explain to me how js in a view folder is executed, and when I would want to put a js file in my view folder instead of in the asset pipeline?

Upvotes: 0

Views: 294

Answers (1)

Jim
Jim

Reputation: 2300

*.js.erb files are rendered when you are using AJAX/JS with your controller actions. By default, when you call the create method, Rails will respond using HTML. This will load a new page. Sometimes you want to use AJAX instead, and that's why you create js.erb files in the view folders.

For this to work, the form and/or link_to objects you are using must be AJAX enabled (they should have a :remote => true attribute on them) If they are not specified as remote forms, they will execute the HTML instead of the JS and the create.js.erb file will never be called.

Your controller method also needs to know how to respond to js requests. You need something like:

respond_to do |format|
  format.js
end

That code tells Rails to look for a file called "method".js.erb in your view folder, so in this case, create.js.erb.

These files are completely different from regular JS files you put in the asset pipeline -- these are view templates to be rendered as the result of a controller action.

You might find some Rails/AJAX tutorials helpful...here's a pretty good one that walks you through this whole process:

http://net.tutsplus.com/tutorials/javascript-ajax/using-unobtrusive-javascript-and-ajax-with-rails-3

Hope that helps, if you need more assistance please post the code for your controller and any of the view files...

Upvotes: 1

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