how to use ajax with json in ruby on rails?

how to use ajax with json in ruby on rails

• I am implemeting a facebook application in rails using facebooker plugin, therefore it is very important to use this architecture if i want to update multiple DOM in my page. if my code works in a regular rails application it would work in my facebook application. i am trying to use ajax to let the user know that the comment was sent, and update the comments bloc. migration: class CreateComments < ActiveRecord::Migration def self.up create_table :comments do |t| t.string :body t.timestamps end end def self.down drop_table :comments end end controller: class CommentsController < ApplicationController def index @comments=Comment.all end def create @comment=Comment.create(params[:comment]) if request.xhr? @comments=Comment.all render :json=>{:ids_to_update=>[:all_comments,:form_message], :all_comments=>render_to_string(:partial=>"comments" ), :form_message=>"Your comment has been added." } else redirect_to comments_url end end end view: <script> function update_count(str,message_id) { len=str.length; if (len < 200) { $(message_id).innerHTML="<span style='color: green'>"+ (200-len)+" remaining</span>"; } else { $(message_id).innerHTML="<span style='color: red'>"+ "Comment too long. Only 200 characters allowed.</span>"; } } function update_multiple(json) { for( var i=0; i<json["ids_to_update"].length; i++ ) { id=json["ids_to_update"][i]; $(id).innerHTML=json[id]; } } </script> <div id="all_comments" > <%= render :partial=>"comments/comments" %> </div> Talk some trash: <br /> <% remote_form_for Comment.new, :url=>comments_url, :success=>"update_multiple(request)" do |f|%> <%= f.text_area :body, :onchange=>"update_count(this.getValue(),'remaining');" , :onkeyup=>"update_count(this.getValue(),'remaining');" %> <br /> <%= f.submit 'Post'%> <% end %> <p id="remaining" >&nbsp;</p> <p id="form_message" >&nbsp;</p> <br><br> <br> if i try to do alert(json) in the first line of the update_multiple function , i got an [object Object]. if i try to do alert(json["ids_to_update"][0]) in the first line of the update_multiple function , there is no dialog box displayed. however the comment got saved but nothing is updated. questions: 1.how can javascript and rails know that i am dealing with json objects?deos ROR sent it a object format or a text format? 2.how can i see what is the returned json?do i have to parse it?how? 2.how can i debug this problem? 3.how can i get it to work?

• Answer:

  You have to parse the returned JSON in your javascript using a JSON parser. Here is the one I use: http://www.json.org/json2.js So upon success you'll do something like: var stuff = json.parse(returnedJSON)