# Help with understanding RESTful routes **URL:** \ **Category:** Rails\ **Created:** [March 15, 2007, 10:11pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/help-with-understanding-restful-routes/88957 "2007-03-15T22:11:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![pixellover](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/p/ee59a6/32.png) [@pixellover](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/pixellover)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2007, 10:11pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/help-with-understanding-restful-routes/88957/1 "2007-03-15T22:11:40Z")
Hi, I’m planning a new application and after all I’ve read a RESTful rails app seems to be perfect for the job. But since a few days I’m struggling with routing… here’s my simple test. If would be great if someone could enlighten me… Three models: Person \<----\> Employment \<----\> Company class Person \< ActiveRecord::Base has\_many :employments has\_many :companies, :through =\> :employments end class Employment \< ActiveRecord::Base belongs\_to :company belongs\_to :person end class Company \< ActiveRecord::Base has\_many :employments has\_many :people, :through =\> :employments end I’ve created the models and generated all three controllers with the scaffold\_resource generator. 1. I would like the following URLs to work correct: [http://localhost:3000/companies](http://localhost:3000/companies) [http://localhost:3000/companies/2](http://localhost:3000/companies/2) [http://localhost:3000/people](http://localhost:3000/people) This is quite simple. I just added two routes: map.resources :companies map.resources :people 1. Now I would like the following to work: [http://localhost:3000/companies/1/people](http://localhost:3000/companies/1/people) This should show me a list with all people assigned (via Employment) to company with ID=1. This route seem’s like a starting point: map.resources :companies do |company| company.resources :people end Now I think I must enhance the CompaniesController. Changing my controller to something like this… def index @companies = Person.find(params[:person\_id]).companies end … seems to work, but of course [http://localhost:3000/companies](http://localhost:3000/companies) stopped working. Do I really have to change my index method again to decide between “person\_id is set, look for Person.find(:person\_id).companies” and “no person\_id, so do a Company.find(:all)”? What happens when my application is growing and there are many models connected with my Person-model? Isn’t there some of this rails-magic-glue that’s doing the dirty work? I also thought that calling something like [http://localhost/companies/42/people/new](http://localhost/companies/42/people/new) would automagically create the association between the Company with ID 42 and the newly entered Person…? Regards, Timo ---
**Author:** ![pixellover](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/p/ee59a6/32.png) [@pixellover](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/pixellover)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2007, 10:46pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/help-with-understanding-restful-routes/88957/2 "2007-03-15T22:46:44Z")
Hi, looking at your models I’d say you need 2 more resources: employees and employers. NOTE: I am _not_ saying you need 2 more models. I’m saying 2 more resources. See below: On 15-Mar-07, at 2:06 PM, Timo S. wrote: > Three models: Person \<----\> Employment \<----\> Company > > [http://localhost:3000/companies](http://localhost:3000/companies) > This should show me a list with all people assigned (via > Employment) to > company with ID=1. > > This route seem’s like a starting point: > map.resources :companies do |company| > company.resources :people > end map.resources :companies do |company| company.resources :employees end map.resources :people do |person| person.resources :employers end employees\_controller and employers\_controller can then deal with the logic of your Employment model according to their specific needs without resorting to torturous logic like “I’m the companies controller but if I have a person\_id them I’m displaying a specific person’s company”. And, of course, you can use shared partials to keep your views dry. HTH, Trevor ---
**Author:** ![pixellover](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/p/ee59a6/32.png) [@pixellover](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/pixellover)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2007, 10:50pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/help-with-understanding-restful-routes/88957/3 "2007-03-15T22:50:45Z")
Timo, Maybe this will get your mind focused toward the correct solution: [http://localhost:3000/employments/new](http://localhost:3000/employments/new) Take a look at the following set of slides. Page down until you see a bright orange slide labeled “Constraints are liberating.” Then read though the next few slides. [http://www.loudthinking.com/lt-files/worldofresources.pdf](http://www.loudthinking.com/lt-files/worldofresources.pdf) On Mar 15, 5:06 pm, Timo S. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) ---
**Author:** ![pixellover](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/p/ee59a6/32.png) [@pixellover](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/pixellover)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2007, 11:14pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/help-with-understanding-restful-routes/88957/4 "2007-03-15T23:14:50Z")
Hi, > looking at your models I’d say you need 2 more resources: employees > and employers. Well, after reading the rest of your post, this seems damn logical. Thanks for the enlightment. 🙂 > without resorting to torturous logic like “I’m the companies > controller but if I have a person\_id them I’m displaying a specific > person’s company”. And, of course, you can use shared partials to > keep your views dry. I think this is the way to go, although I hoped for a little bit more magic… Regards, Timo