# How to parse an incoming request

**URL:** <https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/how-to-parse-an-incoming-request/119999>\
**Category:** Rails\
**Created:** [November 12, 2007, 8:21pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/how-to-parse-an-incoming-request/119999 "2007-11-12T20:21:55Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![kyle](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/k/848f3c/32.png) [@kyle](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/kyle)\
**Post date:** [November 12, 2007, 8:21pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/how-to-parse-an-incoming-request/119999/1 "2007-11-12T20:21:55Z")

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I’m trying to figure out how to interpret a request of the standard  
variety:

[http://www.domain.com/controller/action?VAR1=val1&VAR2=val2](http://www.domain.com/controller/action?VAR1=val1&VAR2=val2)…

I must not know exactly what to look for because I can’t find anything  
in the posts or API. I’ve used a post/response CGI parse within an  
action, but this would come in from another site altogether. I need  
to have this post interpreted and variables assigned from the  
parameters that it passes. Where should I look for help?

Thank you!

-Kyle

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![kyle](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/k/848f3c/32.png) [@kyle](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/kyle)\
**Post date:** [November 12, 2007, 9:06pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/how-to-parse-an-incoming-request/119999/2 "2007-11-12T21:06:31Z")

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On Nov 12, 2007, at 11:21 AM, Kyle wrote:

> I’m trying to figure out how to interpret a request of the standard  
> variety:
> 
> [http://www.domain.com/controller/action?VAR1=val1&VAR2=val2](http://www.domain.com/controller/action?VAR1=val1&VAR2=val2)…
> 
> I must not know exactly what to look for because I can’t find anything  
> in the posts or API. I’ve used a post/response CGI parse within an  
> action, but this would come in from another site altogether. I need  
> to have this post interpreted and variables assigned from the  
> parameters that it passes. Where should I look for help?

Have you looked at these objects ?

```
params
request

```

> **[ActionController::Base](https://api.rubyonrails.org/classes/ActionController/Base.html)**
>
> Action Controllers are the core of a web request in Rails. They are made up of one or more actions that are executed on request and then either it renders a template or redirects to another action.

– gw (www.railsdev.ws)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![kyle](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/k/848f3c/32.png) [@kyle](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/kyle)\
**Post date:** [November 12, 2007, 9:51pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/how-to-parse-an-incoming-request/119999/3 "2007-11-12T21:51:03Z")

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Thanks for pointing me in the right direction. I sometimes fail to  
hit up the “big picture” documentation and just search for  
specifics. I should be able to get what I’m looking for from the info  
that you gave.

Thanks again!

-Kyle