Rails - Aug 2009 - Models more than Databases

Hi Guys,

I would like some advice - I am new to Rails although not new to
development.  I have read numerous rails tutorials - however they all
seem to build around forms interacting with a database.  My question is
how do models/controllers work when it goes beyond just adding things
into databases?

For instance if I was to build a hotel booking engine, and I want to
build out the ''search'' functionality.  The search
functionality has 3
basic elements.

1)  Store the Users search requirements (e.g. destination, dates, rooms)
in a table - this obviously is easy with rails (based on a users search
form).
2)  Perform a search against a 3rd party XML feed.
3)  Store results in another database table.

My question is - what logic should go in a controller? and what should
go in the models?

The user will enter data into a form, which will have a controller and
action, so should there be a separate model for each of the 3 above ?
and one controller? whats the best practice for doing such things or is
there some good tutorials on how to architect a solution with rails?


Regards

Peter
-- 
Posted via http://www.ruby-forum.com/.

If I were you, then I would think this way.  I am assuming that your 
users are just unregistered site visitors.

1. Make a search controller and a searches model to store user queries
2. Make a searchresult model to store results
3. make searchresult belongs to search.

personally, i would not store search results to a table unless there is 
a specific need to do so.  After all, same query @ different times would 
produce different result sets.

I would consider the entities such as user, 3rd party feed as models and 
the search as an interaction between those entities.

I will watch this topic to learn other''s expert opinions.
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Posted via http://www.ruby-forum.com/.