# Please help getting my 'learning' (but real) project going in Rails

**URL:** <https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/please-help-getting-my-learning-but-real-project-going-in-rails/118094>\
**Category:** Rails\
**Created:** [October 23, 2007, 8:51pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/please-help-getting-my-learning-but-real-project-going-in-rails/118094 "2007-10-23T20:51:42Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![agilehack](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/d2c977/32.png) [@agilehack](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/agilehack)\
**Post date:** [October 23, 2007, 8:51pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/please-help-getting-my-learning-but-real-project-going-in-rails/118094/1 "2007-10-23T20:51:42Z")

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learning fast, but still a newbie with Rails. I have a real world  
project to do and just finished converting the data and laying it out  
in mySQL. Essentially what needs to happen is this:

1. User plugs in location (zip code) - that information is stored and  
even displayed on screen for the entire session (think yahoo yellow  
pages) - So anything you do thereafter is filtered on that location.

2. basic look-up - user then is free to put in a medical code or the  
affiliated description for that code and a look-up/search is performed  
on that information with respect to the location (i.e.: miles from)

Essentially just a simple search page right now with the added  
complexity of a stored location. I have about 6 tables although I  
believe only one or two will be used for this initial screen. Can  
anyone help me get started here?

What does the code look like to enter in a zip code, do a quick search  
to validate the location and maybe return/display the actually town (I  
have the data) more importantly STORE that location to be used for all  
look-ups? Would this be in the controller with a corresponding view  
of just this piece?

What does the code look like to build a basic look-up and return  
results to the same screen? Controller?

ILLUSTRATION:

First box you enter zip code 12345 - under that box systems returns  
your location is = SOMEPLACE, USA  
That is also stored  
Second box you enter ‘heart surgery’ PRESS ENTER  
System will return for example: the number of heart surgeries for that  
location (I have the data)

I have several books including the Agile Web D. with Rails  
book, in the process of reading now.

Any help is appreciated - just want to make sure I am starting this  
thing out correctly using the ‘rails way’