rails: specify the HTTP verb in a redirect_to

Question

Hi

Here's a basic overview of my domain:

• a user has a list of courses
• the user can "select" a course. The corresponding action is invoked with the PUT verb, stores the course_id in a session variable and redirects to the "show" action of the selected course.
• when the user has only 1 course available, I want to redirect him directly to the only course available (and invoke the "select" method before, of course).

From there, i see 2 options:

1. Keep the "select" action when the user clicks the link and add a new action for when the selection is automatic... but that doesn't look very DRY (even if I could refactor some code)
2. call the PUT action from the controller itself... but I haven't found how (is it even possible)?

Any alternative is welcome :)

Thanks for your help.

P.

Answer 1

In the courses controller:

def index
  @courses = Course.all
  if @courses.length == 1 #if only one course
    @course = @courses[0] #get that course
    session[:course_id] = @course.id #set the session
    redirect_to :action => "show", :param => "#{@course.id}" #redirect
  end
  respond_to do |format|
    format.html
    format.xml  { render :xml => @line_items }
  end
end