Play 2.x: How to make an AJAX request with a common button

user1434177 picture user1434177 · Jun 21, 2012 · Viewed 36.4k times · Source

So I have successfully gotten ajax requests to work before but I have always had to use a form, and then at the end of the submit do return false so that it doesnt refresh the page.

I have also just recently moved my javascript into a seperate file this has caused my @ commands to fail. Because of this I do not no how to set my url to my route?

Html:

<button id="saveAsDefaultButton">Save as default</button>

Playframework java code:

public static Result saveDefaultPhoneForUser(String handset) {
    User currentUser = User.findByName(session("name"));
    currentUser.lastControlledHandset = theHandset;
    currentUser.save();
    return ok();
}

routes:

POST    /                           controllers.Application.saveDefaultPhoneForUser(handset : String)

javascript:

$('#saveAsDefaultButton').click(function(evt) {
        $('#errors').hide();
        $.ajax({
            type : 'POST',
            url : "controllers.Application.saveDefaultPhoneForUser",
            data : $('#controlledPhone option:selected').text(),
            dataType : "text",
            success : function(data) {
                //setError('Call succedded');
                //$('#test1').attr("src", data)
            },
            error : function(data) {
                setError('Make call failed');
            }
        });
        return false;
    });

Im sure there is a way to do this I am just having no luck finding anything. Any help greatly appreaciated.

Answer

biesior picture biesior · Jun 21, 2012

For this job you should go with javascriptRoutes as it generates correct JS paths based on your routes.conf. You'll find usage sample in Zentask sample

Anyway, for now you can fix your AJAX call by changing the url to

url : '@routes.Application.saveDefaultPhoneForUser()',

This way requires it to place the whole JS in template, which is wrong. It can or even should be moved to separate JS file and to make it possible you need to use javascriptRoutes.

More...

javascriptRoutes are not described yet in official documentation, but here's step-by-step introduction to it. Although the description looks sophisticated de facto using this way brings a lot of benefits.

1. Create the common routes

First you need to create common routes in conf/routes file:

GET     /item/:id     controllers.Application.getItem(id: Long)
POST    /item/new     controllers.Application.newItem
PUT     /item/:id     controllers.Application.updateItem(id: Long)

Of course, you need to create at least these three actions in Application controller:

  • getItem(Long id){ ... }
  • newItem() { ... }
  • updateItem(Long id) { ... }

2. Create an action translating common routes to JS

  • place it somewhere, ie. in your Application controller
  • Let's call it javascriptRoutes()

In that action you'll point the existing routes from the conf/routes file

public static Result javascriptRoutes() {
    response().setContentType("text/javascript");
    return ok(
        Routes.javascriptRouter("myJsRoutes",
            routes.javascript.Application.getItem(),
            routes.javascript.Application.newItem(),
            routes.javascript.Application.updateItem(),
            //inside somepackage
            controllers.somepackage.routes.javascript.Application.updateItem()
        )
    );
}

Note: Don't set any params in brackets.

3. Create a route for javascriptRoutes action and include it in your template

Route conf/routes

GET     /javascriptRoutes     controllers.Application.javascriptRoutes

View in <head> part of /views/main.scala.html

<script type="text/javascript" src='@routes.Application.javascriptRoutes()'></script>

4. Use javascriptRoutes where you want

Up from now you can use routes in JS to get the correct path without need to specify the url and type. For an example instead of:

 $('.getAjaxForThisContainer').click(function(e) {
    var idToGet = $("#someField").val();
    $.ajax({
        type : 'GET',
        url : '@routes.Application.getItem()',
        data : {
            id: idToGet
        },
        success : function(data) {
            // ... some code on success
        }
    });
    return false;
});

you can use simplified version (myJsRoutes from point 2):

myJsRoutes.controllers.Application.getItem(idToGet).ajax({
    success : function(data) { ... some code ... }
});

or

myJsRoutes.controllers.Application.newItem().ajax({
    success : function(data) { ... some code ... }
});

etc...

  • you don't need to specify type: "POST" - JS router will use correct method according to conf/routes rule
  • you can set id of the record (or other params) to GET or PUT (or other methods) using routes-like syntax in pure JS
  • If your route rule contains all required params you can really minimize yours JS:

for route:

GET   /some/:a/:b/:c    controllers.Application.getABC(a: String, b: Integer, c: String)

JS:

myJsRoutes.controllers.Application.getABC("a", 1, "b" ).ajax({});