# Read params from form ot working **URL:** \ **Category:** Rails\ **Created:** [November 3, 2006, 1:47pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/read-params-from-form-ot-working/74285 "2006-11-03T13:47:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![andreas](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/ee7513/32.png) [@andreas](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/andreas)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2006, 1:47pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/read-params-from-form-ot-working/74285/1 "2006-11-03T13:47:39Z")
hi all, can someone tell me why I need to get the data from a form like the code below even when I dont want to create a NEW user?? I am confused ``` @user = User.new(params[:user]) username = @user.username user = User.find(:first, :conditions => ["username = ?", username]) ``` why I cant simply get the form data with username = params[:username] and why needs User.find an ID - also when I say "conditions =\> [“username = ?”, username]) what I am doing wrong? thanks andreas ---
**Author:** ![andreas](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/ee7513/32.png) [@andreas](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/andreas)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2006, 2:48pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/read-params-from-form-ot-working/74285/2 "2006-11-03T14:48:23Z")
You \>don’t\< have to do it that way. The params[:user] variable in your controller is a hash of the form data. Use this: username = params[:user][‘username’] As for what you are trying to do, it is much easier than what you are trying. Rails creates dynamic finders for your models, so if you have a field “username” there is a finder defined as “find\_by\_username”. You can use that with the params value to get your user object in one line: user = User.find\_by\_username(params[:user][‘username’]) Enjoy. c. Andreas S. wrote: > hi all, > > can someone tell me why I need to get the data from a form like the code > below > even when I dont want to create a NEW user?? I am confused > > ``` > @user = User.new(params[:user]) > username = @user.username > user = User.find(:first, :conditions => ["username = ?", username]) > > ``` > > why I cant simply get the form data with > username = params[:username] > > and why needs User.find an ID - also when I say "conditions =\> > [“username = ?”, username]) > > what I am doing wrong? > thanks > andreas ---
**Author:** ![andreas](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/ee7513/32.png) [@andreas](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/andreas)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2006, 2:50pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/read-params-from-form-ot-working/74285/3 "2006-11-03T14:50:51Z")
Incidentally, “find\_by” uses the :first functionality - it returns the first matching row. If you want are looking for more than one row from the database (:all functionality), the dynamic finder is “find\_all\_by\_”, like this for instance: users = User.find\_all\_by\_state(‘FL’) …will find all users with a “state” value of “FL” on the database. c. Cayce B. wrote: > You \>don’t\< have to do it that way. The params[:user] variable in your > controller is a hash of the form data. Use this: > > username = params[:user][‘username’] > > As for what you are trying to do, it is much easier than what you are > trying. Rails creates dynamic finders for your models, so if you have a > field “username” there is a finder defined as “find\_by\_username”. You > can use that with the params value to get your user object in one line: > > user = User.find\_by\_username(params[:user][‘username’]) > > Enjoy. > c. > > Andreas S. wrote: > > > hi all, > > > > can someone tell me why I need to get the data from a form like the code > > below > > even when I dont want to create a NEW user?? I am confused > > > > ``` > > @user = User.new(params[:user]) > > username = @user.username > > user = User.find(:first, :conditions => ["username = ?", username]) > > > > ``` > > > > why I cant simply get the form data with > > username = params[:username] > > > > and why needs User.find an ID - also when I say "conditions =\> > > [“username = ?”, username]) > > > > what I am doing wrong? > > thanks > > andreas ---
**Author:** ![andreas](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/ee7513/32.png) [@andreas](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/andreas)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2006, 5:08pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/read-params-from-form-ot-working/74285/4 "2006-11-03T17:08:09Z")
thanks Cayce! wooow…thats great - when you come from the MS ASP world - like me - you never think about that there are such commands like find\_by\_username … I am impressed - really! I think I have the most problems - because I think in a total different way - also when you are regulary type in SQL sequences into asp code to get back data from an sql server - its really different to me to work in this “new” way. I feel like a kid, doing the first steps in coding. I am happy that I know a bit about c and c++ - but dont get the classes in RoR. Where do I need to define the classes to access then from everywhere. E.g. I want to create a SendEmail class - where do I need to define this class to send emails from every controller? These is only one question from many in my head. what I also miss is a documentation which shows e.g. all ways to search in a database. find, find\_all, find\_by\_… anyway- -thanks! andreas ---
**Author:** ![andreas](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/ee7513/32.png) [@andreas](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/andreas)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2006, 7:29pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/read-params-from-form-ot-working/74285/5 "2006-11-03T19:29:06Z")
As for documentation, what you can get for free on the web is generally of the reference-style, meaning that you kind of have to know what you’re after to go find things. For instance, [http://api.rubyonrails.org](http://api.rubyonrails.org) will give you the nitty-gritty of every class, method, etc in the system. But, if you don’t know what to look for, you’re prolly out of luck. For more tutorial/“teach me” style documentation, the Pragmatic Programmers books are excellent: Agile Web D. With Rails (commonly referred to as AWDWR) [http://www.pragmaticprogrammer.com/titles/rails1/index.html](http://www.pragmaticprogrammer.com/titles/rails1/index.html) Rails Recipes [http://www.pragmaticprogrammer.com/titles/fr\_rr/index.html](http://www.pragmaticprogrammer.com/titles/fr_rr/index.html) Another excellent resource, specific to using AJAX in Rails: > **[RJS Templates for Rails](https://www.oreilly.com/library/view/rjs-templates-for/0596528094/)** > > RJS templates are an exciting and powerful new type of template added to Rails 1.1. Unlike conventional Rails templates that generate HTML or XML, RJS templates generate JavaScript code that … - Selection from RJS Templates for Rails \[Book\] You’re looking at about $50 for these, in my mind they’re worth many, many multiples of that. If you get the PDF’s you’ll have them almost immediately, and you get free updates. As for email - there is no need to write your own class. ActionMailer is part of Rails and will do just about anything you need it to, re: email. See: [http://wiki.rubyonrails.org/rails/pages/ActionMailer](http://wiki.rubyonrails.org/rails/pages/ActionMailer) for beginning details. With regards to “getting” the classes in rails, that’s a combination of both Ruby and Ruby on Rails. If you want to deep-dive the Ruby language itself, then the Programming Ruby book is what you want: > **[Programming Ruby (2nd edition)](https://pragprog.com/titles/ruby/index.html)** > > We improve the lives of professional developers. We create timely, practical books on classic and cutting-edge topics to help you learn and practice your craft, and accelerate your career. Come learn with us. But that might be overkill - coming from ASP world. There is an appendix in AWDWR that will intro you to Ruby. c. Andreas S. wrote: > thanks Cayce! > > wooow…thats great - when you come from the MS ASP world - like me - > you never think about that there are such commands like find\_by\_username > … I am impressed - really! > > I think I have the most problems - because I think in a total different > way - also when you are regulary type in SQL sequences into asp code to > get back data from an sql server - its really different to me to work in > this “new” way. I feel like a kid, doing the first steps in coding. I am > happy that I know a bit about c and c++ - but dont get the classes in > RoR. Where do I need to define the classes to access then from > everywhere. E.g. I want to create a SendEmail class - where do I need to > define this class to send emails from every controller? These is only > one question from many in my head. > > what I also miss is a documentation which shows e.g. all ways to search > in a database. find, find\_all, find\_by\_… > > anyway- -thanks! > andreas ---
**Author:** ![andreas](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/ee7513/32.png) [@andreas](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/andreas)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2006, 7:59pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/read-params-from-form-ot-working/74285/6 "2006-11-03T19:59:55Z")
thanks for all the hints cayce! andreas ---
**Author:** ![andreas](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/ee7513/32.png) [@andreas](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/andreas)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2006, 10:58am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/read-params-from-form-ot-working/74285/7 "2006-11-07T10:58:11Z")
params[:user] isnt the username, its a hash which contains all form parameters like username and all the other stuff from the form try this: username = params[:user][:username]