AJAX API calls in RAILS

gistfile1.txt

---------------------------------
---- searches_controller.rb -----
---------------------------------

  def create
    
  # 1.) js file
  # 2.) click event to prevent default route to the controller from js with the url.
  # get value from form
  # ajax request to send form data
  # /searches - 'create method' POST
  # which comes HERE
  # Then render the JSON
  # Then when 'done' back in js
  # Take response render in html.

    @user = User.find(current_user.id)
    date_query = URI.escape(params[:date_input])

    @results = User.search_events(date_query)


    # respond_to do |format|
    #   format.html { redirect_to searches_path }
    #   format.json { render json: @results }
    # end

    render :index
  end
  
---------------------------------
---------- user.rb --------------
---------------------------------
def self.search_events(date_input)

    data = HTTParty.get("http://api.eventful.com/json/events/search?app_key=#{ENV['APP_KEY']}&date=#{date_input}&location=New+York&within=15&page_size=20&include=price")

    json_data = JSON.parse(data)

    results = []


    if json_data.nil? || json_data.empty?
      flash[:error] = "Data not found"
      return false
    else
      json_data["events"]["event"].each do |event|
        single_event = {}

          single_event[:image_url] = event["image"] ? event["image"]["medium"]["url"] : ""

          single_event[:title] = event["title"]
          single_event[:url] = event["url"]
          single_event[:price] = event["price"]
          single_event[:address] = event["venue_address"]
          single_event[:city_name] = event["city_name"]
          single_event[:region_name] = event["region_name"]
          single_event[:start_time] = event["start_time"]
          single_event[:description] = event["description"]

          results << single_event
        end
      end
    results
  end
  
---------------------------------
---------- events.js ------------
---------------------------------


Change to AJAX request later?....

$(document).ready(function(){
  $('#general_event_search form').on('submit', function(event){
    // alert("Did this work?");
    event.preventDefault();
    var event_search_date = $('option').val();

    $.ajax({
      url: "/searches", //searches controller - not about page!
      type: 'POST',
      dataType: 'json',
      data: {date_input: event_search_date}
    }).done(function(data){
      $.each(data, function(index, value){
        var event_div = $('<div>').text(value);
        $('#general_event_results').append(event_div);
    });
  });

  });
});



---------------------------------
---------- Search Form ----------
---------------------------------
<div class="search" id="general_event_search">
   <%= form_tag("/searches", method: "POST") do %>
      <%= label_tag(:date, "Date") %>
      <%= select_tag(:date_input, options_for_select([['Future', 'Future'], ['Today','Today'],['This Week', 'This Week'], ['Next Week', 'Next Week']])) %>
      <br>
      <%= submit_tag("Search") %>
    <% end %>
  </div>