Auto_Complete plugin with results from two tables

benoror · July 21, 2009, 10:48am

Hi people, I’m trying to use the auto_complete plugin in rails 2.3.2 for
searching from two tables. I’ve researched a lot but I can’t make it
work. This is my code:

------- Application Controller: -------

class ApplicationController < ActionController::Base
…
auto_complete_for :tutor, :name
…
protected

def auto_complete_for_tutor_name
@tutors = Tutor.find(:all, :conditions => [“enabled = ‘t’ AND
LOWER(name) LIKE ?”, “%#{params[:tutor][:name]}%”], :limit => 10)
@courses = Course.find(:all, :conditions => [“enabled = ‘t’ AND
LOWER(name) LIKE ? OR LOWER(code) LIKE ?”, “%#{params[:tutor][:name]}%”,
“%#{params[:tutor][:name]}%”], :limit => 10)
render :inline => “<%= auto_complete_result(@tutors+@courses, :name)
%>”
end

end

------- Form View: -------

<%= text_field_with_auto_complete :tutor, :name, {:autocomplete =>
“off”}, {:skip_style => true} %>

The point is that if I delete my “custom” auto_complete_for_tutor_name
method from the controller it works, for tutors names only of course.
What am I doing wrong ?

benoror · July 21, 2009, 11:13am

The trouble free method would be to create a “view table” using both
tables and use it to do auto complete.

benoror · July 21, 2009, 8:41pm

Rails L. wrote:

The trouble free method would be to create a “view table” using both
tables and use it to do auto complete.

Should I create a new model/controller/view o can I create something
like a “virtual” table ?

benoror · July 21, 2009, 9:51pm

Hello Benoror,

I think “railslist” meant a virtual table in you data base usually call
view (View (SQL) - Wikipedia).

But, if you are using Pat Shaughnessy’s plugin you may want to take a
look at
(
http://patshaughnessy.net/2009/4/3/filtering-auto_complete-pick-lists-part-2-using-named-scopes
). He explain how to use auto_complete_for passing a block and using a
name_scope query to the model.

By the way, what are you trying to do? Search for the course and tutor
name in the same input field?

best,

David S.

benoror · July 21, 2009, 11:23pm

I guess the problem might be at:

render :inline => “<%= auto_complete_result(@tutors+@courses, :name) %>”

Becaus the find’s are working properly.

Have you try to merge then before sending?

@tutors+=@courses
render :inline => “<%= auto_complete_result(@tutors, :name) %>”

Does tutors and courses have the field name?

Just guessing here, I don’t know what it can be.

David S.

benoror · July 22, 2009, 12:35am

Thanks for your help David.

I have also tried writing my custom method just with tutors, but it
doesn’t works either!!! I guess the problem is related with something
else

def auto_complete_for_tutor_name
@tutors = Tutor.find(:all, :conditions => [“enabled = ‘t’ AND LOWER(name) LIKE ?”, “%#{params[:tutor][:name]}%”], :limit => 10)
render :inline => “<%= auto_complete_result(@tutors, :name) %>”
end

:S No clue what can it be

benoror · July 22, 2009, 12:37am

Is there a way to exactly know what does “auto_complete_for :tutor,
:name” generates ?

So I can rewrite it and jus make the appropiate modifications.

benoror · July 21, 2009, 11:04pm

Yep, I want to search for course and tutor name in the same input box,
but I’m not using Shaughnessy’s plugin, I’m using the standard
auto_complete plugin.

I’ve tried commenting the line

#auto_complete_for :tutor, :name
supposing I’m implementing my own method, with no success

I guess the problem might be at:

render :inline => “<%= auto_complete_result(@tutors+@courses, :name) %>”

Becaus the find’s are working properly.

What can it be ?

benoror · July 22, 2009, 1:03am

I’m out of ideas here, but you can see the code at the
vendor/plugins/auto_complete, or the on line version at:

github.com

rails/auto_complete/blob/7b18f05af68dec0f9e45b1a01d6b7c94e306caeb/lib/auto_complete.rb

module AutoComplete      
  
  def self.included(base)
    base.extend(ClassMethods)
  end

  #
  # Example:
  #
  #   # Controller
  #   class BlogController < ApplicationController
  #     auto_complete_for :post, :title
  #   end
  #
  #   # View
  #   <%= text_field_with_auto_complete :post, title %>
  #
  # By default, auto_complete_for limits the results to 10 entries,
  # and sorts by the given field.
  #

This file has been truncated. show original

With you are going to edit this, do not forget to restart your server
after saving. ( I think that function is called only once at the start
up. )

Good luck,

David S.

benoror · July 22, 2009, 12:57am

I found this code inside
vendor/plugins/auto_complete/lib/auto_complete.rb . Could this be used ?

module ClassMethods
def auto_complete_for(object, method, options = {})
define_method(“auto_complete_for_#{object}_#{method}”) do
find_options = {
:conditions => [ “LOWER(#{method}) LIKE ?”, ‘%’ + params[object[method].downcase + ‘%’ ],
:order => “#{method} ASC”,
:limit => 10 }.merge!(options)
   @items = object.to_s.camelize.constantize.find(:all, find_options)

   render :inline => "<%= auto_complete_result @items, '#{method}' %>"
 end
end
end

benoror · July 22, 2009, 1:06am

I can’t see anything wrong in my code. I’m starting to think that the
problem resides that the methos is defined in the ApplicationController.
Could it be ?

benoror · July 22, 2009, 1:10am

Benoror Benoror wrote:

I can’t see anything wrong in my code. I’m starting to think that the
problem resides that the methos is defined in the ApplicationController.
Could it be ?

That’s it!!!

I cant call my custom auto_complete_for… from ApplicationController !

But this is a feature I want along the entire Site, it’s unacceptable to
duplicate the code in EVERY CONTROLLER!!!

:S Thes must be a bug from the plugin, it can’t be called from
ApplicationController

benoror · July 22, 2009, 1:27am

FIXED!

The problem was stupid. The method was ‘protected’

Inheritance ignorance!

Thanks David!

benoror · July 22, 2009, 4:09am

Lol, I saw that was protected but I did not realize that.

The problem was stupid. The method was ‘protected’

David S.