Rails - May 2005 - AJAX & Partials

Hi,

looking to see if I''m on the right track here...

we''re selling widgets to customers, but there are a number of different
type of widgets and each different type of widget has a number of
parameters that the customer can specify, in effect each customer orders
widget''s customised in ways particular to that specific order.

We use STI to store each different widget type order line in the database
(some parameters are common to a number of widgets, while some are
specific to just one type).  Currently when ''creating'' their
widget
there is
a lot of javascripting going on hiding fields and disabling fields depending
 on the options selected as all fields are present on the form.

To clean up the current entry screen where all options for all types of
widgets are visible I was thinking of using Partials and AJAX.  When
the customer selects the widget  type from a dropdown  we load the
partial for that type of widget.

Does this sound like a reasonably Rails way of doing this ?

Thanks

-- 
Mike Gilbert                email : mike-jLbnyU+aYbUAvxtiuMwx3w@public.gmane.org
Technical Director          fax   : +353 68 470 01
XL CRS                      mobile: +353 87 677 2055
Lisselton                   phone : +353 68 470 10
Listowel                    
Co. Kerry                   
Ireland

Mike,

I''ve done something very similar. 

The only trick is that I believe there is not an AJAX helper for form
fields that creates an XMLHttpRequest.

You have 2 quick-and-dirty options then:
1. Use observe_field to create the ajax code, then dump it inside the
"onclick" attribute of the element in question.
2. Use observe_field to monitor if an element''s value changes. 

I usually go with #1. 

- Derek

On 5/31/05, Mike Gilbert <mike-jLbnyU+aYbUAvxtiuMwx3w@public.gmane.org>
wrote:
> Hi,
> 
> looking to see if I''m on the right track here...
> 
> we''re selling widgets to customers, but there are a number of
different
> type of widgets and each different type of widget has a number of
> parameters that the customer can specify, in effect each customer orders
> widget''s customised in ways particular to that specific order.
> 
> We use STI to store each different widget type order line in the database
> (some parameters are common to a number of widgets, while some are
> specific to just one type).  Currently when ''creating''
their widget
> there is
> a lot of javascripting going on hiding fields and disabling fields
depending
>  on the options selected as all fields are present on the form.
> 
> To clean up the current entry screen where all options for all types of
> widgets are visible I was thinking of using Partials and AJAX.  When
> the customer selects the widget  type from a dropdown  we load the
> partial for that type of widget.
> 
> Does this sound like a reasonably Rails way of doing this ?
> 
> Thanks
> 
> --
> Mike Gilbert                email :
mike-jLbnyU+aYbUAvxtiuMwx3w@public.gmane.org
> Technical Director          fax   : +353 68 470 01
> XL CRS                      mobile: +353 87 677 2055
> Lisselton                   phone : +353 68 470 10
> Listowel
> Co. Kerry
> Ireland
> 
> _______________________________________________
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> Rails-1W37MKcQCpIf0INCOvqR/iCwEArCW2h5@public.gmane.org
> http://lists.rubyonrails.org/mailman/listinfo/rails
> 

-- 
Derek Haynes
blog - http://itsderek23.blogspot.com
Cell - 404.593.4879