# Button that doesn't submit

**URL:** <https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/button-that-doesnt-submit/171764>\
**Category:** Rails\
**Created:** [July 8, 2009, 8:41pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/button-that-doesnt-submit/171764 "2009-07-08T20:41:13Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![mistressjanna](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/3ab097/32.png) [@mistressjanna](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/mistressjanna)\
**Post date:** [July 8, 2009, 8:41pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/button-that-doesnt-submit/171764/1 "2009-07-08T20:41:13Z")

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Is there a way to put a button on a view that doesn;t do a “submit”  
but executes a method in the controller? -Janna

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**Author:** ![mistressjanna](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/3ab097/32.png) [@mistressjanna](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/mistressjanna)\
**Post date:** [July 8, 2009, 8:45pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/button-that-doesnt-submit/171764/2 "2009-07-08T20:45:54Z")

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On Jul 8, 2009, at 11:40 AM, JannaB wrote:

> Is there a way to put a button on a view that doesn;t do a “submit”  
> but executes a method in the controller? -Janna

Look at the button\_to methods… although by default they create a  
form to your action and submit it you can control the method… not a  
good idea to embed that within another form though.

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**Author:** ![mistressjanna](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/3ab097/32.png) [@mistressjanna](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/mistressjanna)\
**Post date:** [July 8, 2009, 8:50pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/button-that-doesnt-submit/171764/3 "2009-07-08T20:50:00Z")

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Yes, I tried that:

\<%= button\_to “Manual Up”, :action =\> “manup” %\>

Then, in my controller I have it either rendering nothing or a  
partial. But it renders a blank page even though the partial is  
embedded deep within divs of another partial. So whether I tell it to  
render nothing, or just the deeply-buried partial, it takes me to a  
blank page! (I think it is because it is actually a submit. I can  
confrim my controller method is being executed\_ -Janna

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**Author:** ![mistressjanna](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/3ab097/32.png) [@mistressjanna](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/mistressjanna)\
**Post date:** [July 8, 2009, 9:02pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/button-that-doesnt-submit/171764/4 "2009-07-08T21:02:52Z")

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On Jul 8, 2009, at 11:49 AM, JannaB wrote:

> confrim my controller method is being executed\_ -Janna

So you only want it to replace a partial on the page? If so, you  
probably want button\_to\_remote…