Question

So let’s say I have a form which is being sent somewhere strange (and by strange we mean, NOT the default route:

<% form_for @form_object, :url => {:controller => 'application',
                  :action => 'form_action_thing'} do |f| %>
  <%= f.text_field :email %>
  <%= submit_tag 'Login' %>
<% end %>

Now let’s say that we have the method that accepts it.

def form_action_thing
  User.find(????? :email ?????)
end

My questions are thus:

1. How can I make the object @form_object available to the receiving method (in this case, form_action_tag)?
   • I’ve tried params[:form_object], and I’ve scoured this site and the API, which I have to post below because SO doesn’t believe I’m not a spammer (I’m a new member), as well as Googled as many permutations of this idea as I could think of. Nothing. Sorry if I missed something, i’m really trying.
2. How do I address the object, once I’ve made it accessible to the method? Not params[:form_object], I’m guessing.

EDIT

Thanks so much for the responses, guys! I really appreciate it. I learned my lesson, which is that you shouldn’t deep-copy an object from a form, and that the parameters of a form are actually included when you submit it.

I will admit it’s sort of disheartening to not know stuff that seems so obvious though…

Answer 1

It depends on how do you set up your routes. If you’re using the default /:controller/:action/:id route, you can pass it as a parameter in the URL. Note that not the whole @form_object can/should be passed, but it’s id or some other attribute to identify it instead. In this case, you should make your URL:

<% form_for @form_object, :url => {:controller => 'application',
                  :action => 'form_action_thing', :email => some_email} do |f| %>
  <%= f.text_field :email %>
  <%= submit_tag 'Login' %>
<% end %>

And in your controller

def form_action_thing
  @user = User.find_by_email(params[:email])
end