# Helper for ajax field update

**URL:** <https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/helper-for-ajax-field-update/172530>\
**Category:** Rails\
**Created:** [July 22, 2009, 11:10pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/helper-for-ajax-field-update/172530 "2009-07-22T23:10:16Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![billv](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@billv](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/billv)\
**Post date:** [July 22, 2009, 11:10pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/helper-for-ajax-field-update/172530/1 "2009-07-22T23:10:16Z")

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I have a page that lists a set of tasks, each with a status field.  
I’d like the ability to update the status from this field, through a  
pop-up box. Basically, click the link, a little text area box opens,  
the user enters the update, clicks save, the box goes away and the  
update appears on the page.

I could probably create this, but figured there may be a helper method  
out there already.

Thanks.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![billv](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@billv](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/billv)\
**Post date:** [July 22, 2009, 11:45pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/helper-for-ajax-field-update/172530/2 "2009-07-22T23:45:19Z")

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Hi Bill,

On Wed, 2009-07-22 at 14:09 -0700, billv wrote:

> I have a page that lists a set of tasks, each with a status field.  
> I’d like the ability to update the status from this field, through a  
> pop-up box. Basically, click the link, a little text area box opens,  
> the user enters the update, clicks save, the box goes away and the  
> update appears on the page.
> 
> I could probably create this, but figured there may be a helper method  
> out there already.

Sort of. The in\_place\_editing helpers were removed from Rails core in  
2.0 and made into a plugin. Google ‘rails in place edit’. There are  
several plug-in options.

Note that this is not specifically what you asked for. That is, this  
does not generate a pop-up box. There are lots of reasons not to go  
that route including pop-up blockers and the removal of ‘target=blank  
(etc)’ from the standards. If you really want a pop-up, you’ll have to  
roll your own.

HTH,  
Bill