Rails - Oct 2006 - Problem setting variables in ApplicationController.

I''m dynamically generating menu options based on the currently logged
in user:  current_user.
My menus are setup on the applicatin.rhtml file. The current_user is
defined in the application controller.  But, attempting to assign it a
value while in the application controller results in an ''undefined
method'' error.

ApplicationController ....

def current_user
   @cu = ::User.find(session[:rbac_user_id]) || "not logged in"
end
---
++Application.rhtml ++
Admin menu
<% if current_user.has_role?("Admin") %>
  menu one
  menu two
<%end%>

Apparently the current_user is not created by the time the
application.rhtml is rendered.
I think it might have something to do with the special nature of the
ApplicationController.  But, I don''t fully understand what is
happening here.

Is there a better way of building dynamic menus??

-- 
Best Regards,
-Larry
"Work, work, work...there is no satisfactory alternative."
            --- E.Taft Benson

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Larry Kelly wrote:
> I''m dynamically generating menu options based on the currently
logged
> in user:  current_user.
> My menus are setup on the applicatin.rhtml file. The current_user is
> defined in the application controller.  But, attempting to assign it a
> value while in the application controller results in an ''undefined
> method'' error.
> 
> ApplicationController ....
> 
> def current_user
>    @cu = ::User.find(session[:rbac_user_id]) || "not logged in"
> end
> ---
> ++Application.rhtml ++
> Admin menu
> <% if current_user.has_role?("Admin") %>
>   menu one
>   menu two
> <%end%>
> 
> Apparently the current_user is not created by the time the
> application.rhtml is rendered.
> I think it might have something to do with the special nature of the
> ApplicationController.  But, I don''t fully understand what is
> happening here.
Methods defined in application.rb are not available in views (including 
the layout).  If you want methods for use in views, define them in a 
helper. But that probably isn''t what you want here.

Keep this:

def current_user
    @cu = ::User.find(session[:rbac_user_id]) || "not logged in"
end

And add:

before_filter :current_user

at the top of application.rb. In the layout, reference 
@cu.has_role("Admin")

Also, note that things will break when there is no user logged in. If 
you set @cu to a String, @cu.has_role will cause an error. Try changing 
current_user to:

def current_user
    if @cu = ::User.find(session[:rbac_user_id])
        return true
    else
        return false
    end
end


That "return false" will cause processing of the request to end. You
can
add a "redirect_to" before "return false" if you''d
like to do sometning
more useful on failure.

-matthew


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This should be

<% if @cu && @cu.has_role?("Admin") %>
  menu one
  menu two
<%end%>

That way it makes sure there is a user, then checks their role.

You need to use instance variables to get data to your views. You can''t
call a method in your controller from the view.
Call current_user in your function before the page is rendered.
I''m working on a role-based project right now also, so if you find a 
better way I''d like to hear about it.

Jason

Larry Kelly wrote:
> I''m dynamically generating menu options based on the currently
logged
> in user:  current_user.
> My menus are setup on the applicatin.rhtml file. The current_user is
> defined in the application controller.  But, attempting to assign it a
> value while in the application controller results in an ''undefined
> method'' error.
>
> ApplicationController ....
>
> def current_user
>    @cu = ::User.find(session[:rbac_user_id]) || "not logged in"
> end
> ---
> ++Application.rhtml ++
> Admin menu
> <% if current_user.has_role?("Admin") %>
>   menu one
>   menu two
> <%end%>
>
> Apparently the current_user is not created by the time the
> application.rhtml is rendered.
> I think it might have something to do with the special nature of the
> ApplicationController.  But, I don''t fully understand what is
> happening here.
>
> Is there a better way of building dynamic menus??
>
>   

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Jason Norris wrote:
> Call current_user in your function before the page is rendered.
> I''m working on a role-based project right now also, so if you find
a
> better way I''d like to hear about it.
before_filters are your friend.

-matthew

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Definitely, for whole pages that are role-based. But for conditionally 
displaying parts of a menu, what''s the best route?
Putting an if directly in the view is what I''ve been doing, but it
seems
that there should be a more elegant approach.

Jason

Matthew Isleb wrote:
> Jason Norris wrote:
>
>   
>> Call current_user in your function before the page is rendered.
>> I''m working on a role-based project right now also, so if you
find a
>> better way I''d like to hear about it.
>>     
>
> before_filters are your friend.
>
> -matthew
>
>   

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Jason Norris wrote:
> Definitely, for whole pages that are role-based. But for conditionally
> displaying parts of a menu, what''s the best route?
> Putting an if directly in the view is what I''ve been doing, but it
seems
> that there should be a more elegant approach.
You can still use the before_filter for generic (auth/noauth) pages. 
Just have it always return true. I think you''ll need to check "if
@cu"
in the view. Can''t think of any way around that.

-matthew

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