Rails: Running a script based on values in the database

Question

Right now, I have some tooltip JavaScript that I'd like to run on every page of my app, but only if the current user's model has User.advanced_tooltips set to true in my database.

What is the best way conceptually to get this JavaScript to trigger conditionally based on a value in a database? I'm having some real trouble getting JavaScript and Rails to communicate.

You could use jQuery and Ajax. Check the answer from here. stackoverflow.com/questions/578095/… — Hachi
– Hachi, Commented Nov 4, 2012 at 0:31

RadBrad · Accepted Answer · 2012-11-04 00:53:33Z

1

You could do something like this, assuming you are using jquery:

<script type='text/javascript'>
$(document).ready(function() {
   var advtt = '<%= @user.advanced_tooltips ? "yes" : "no" %>';
   if ( advtt == 'yes')
     # ?? add css, or whatever
});
</script>

This assumes @user is set in the controller before rendering the view that contains the above Javascript.

answered Nov 4, 2012 at 0:53

RadBrad

7,3142 gold badges26 silver badges17 bronze badges

Sign up to request clarification or add additional context in comments.

2 Comments

Adam Templeton Over a year ago

That's how I normally track my user, in a before_filter that sets @user before each controller action. However, this project uses the session variable to store the current user's id, and -- since I jumped on this project's team mid-completion -- major refactoring isn't really an option.

RadBrad Over a year ago

I don't see how that would require a major refactoring. All you need to do is replace @user.advanced_tooltips with User.find(session[:user_id]).advanced_tooltips, or whatever it is.

aguynamedloren · Accepted Answer · 2012-11-04 11:19:12Z

1

A clean and simple solution is to wrap javascript functions in rails logic:

<script type='text/javascript'>

  var setupTooltips = function() {
    // do something here
  }

  $(document).ready(function() {

    <% if current_user.advanced_tooltips %>
      setupTooltips();
    <% end %>

  });

</script>

answered Nov 4, 2012 at 11:19

aguynamedloren

2,27318 silver badges23 bronze badges

1 Comment

Adam Templeton Over a year ago

Unfortunately, this is what my initial attempt at a solution looked like. I tried both embedded the code in my layout (which worked until I rendered certain views in pop-up modals sans layout) and in a js.erb file (where it was apparently unable to access the session variable, which is how I'm storing the user)

Adam Templeton · Accepted Answer · 2012-11-05 18:36:20Z

Here's the solution I ended up using (given the very weird constraints imposed by this project):

First, I set up a controller route that finds the current User and then renders its advanced_tooltip value as text.

Then, in my application.js, I made an AJAX call using $.get to that route, then checked whether the result == "true" to determine whether or not a user had advanced tooltips enabled.

It's a messy solution (and those listed above are actually better), but since I had some very rigid restrictions due to me jumping onto someone else's project's mid-completion, it's what I had to do.

Still gave both comment up-votes, as they're valid and would totally work under normal circumstances.

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

Rails: Running a script based on values in the database

3 Answers 3

2 Comments

1 Comment

Comments

Linked

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

3 Answers 3

2 Comments

1 Comment

Comments

Linked

Related