Ruby/Rails button and search filtering - ruby-on-rails

Question

I've added the Active and Archived buttons to this page for extra filtering.
The existing search box functionality uses the following js.coffee which calls the controller index to pull the data from the db.
triggerSearch: (e) ->
if searchCompanyTimer
window.clearTimeout searchCompanyTimer
searchCompanyTimer = window.setTimeout(( ->
searchCompanyTimer = null
query_text = $(e.currentTarget).val()
el_id = $(e.currentTarget)[0].id
$.get( "companies", "q[name_cont]": query_text )
), 500, e)
I have added 2 similar js.coffee methods which set an active flag to true or false depending on which button was pressed.
Here is one of those methods.
triggerShowActive: (e) ->
if searchCompanyTimer
window.clearTimeout searchCompanyTimer
searchCompanyTimer = window.setTimeout(( ->
searchCompanyTimer = null
$.get( '/companies', {active: true} )
), 500, e)
here is part of my controller.
class CompaniesController < ApplicationController
respond_to :js, :json, :html
$active_inactive_flag = true
def index
puts "params are: #{params}"
puts "active param is: #{params[:active]}"
puts "#active_inactive_flag pre any conditions is: #{$active_inactive_flag}"
$active_inactive_flag = params[:active] ? params[:active] : $active_inactive_flag
puts "#active_inactive_flag after check on params[:active] is: #{$active_inactive_flag}"
if $active_inactive_flag.try :nonzero?
$active_inactive_flag = true
end
puts "#active_inactive_flag after check if it has a value, else true - is: #{$active_inactive_flag}"
#companies =
Company.search(params[:q])
.result
.order('created_at DESC')
.page(params[:page])
.per(Settings.paginate_limit)
.where(is_active: $active_inactive_flag)
end
here is my index.html.erb file where the buttons and search code is.
<div class="row">
<div class="col-md-3">
<label>Filter By:</label>
<button class="show_active btn btn-primary" style="border-radius:10px">Active</button>
<button class="show_inactive btn btn-primary" style="border-radius:10px">Archived </button>
</div>
<div class="col-md-9">
<div class="input-group">
<span class="input-group-addon" id="basic-addon1">Filter by name</span>
<input class="form-control" id="q_name_cont" name="q[name_cont]" type="text">
</div>
</div>
</div>
I am using a global variable (tried instance and class variables also) in the controller but it's not working as expected. Sometimes the value in $active_inactive_flag switches from false to true or vice versa incorrectly. I don't want to use a global variable but I am at a loss as to how to combine both filter and search correctly. When the page loads we want Active button to be on by default and return active companies. The problem I am having is knowing what button was pressed when the search box is used.
Edit:
Here is an example of what is happening.
Any direction would be grateful.

Answer 1

Thanks Dave,
in js.coffee added the following:
returnActiveInctiveFlag = true
and then to the triggerSearch updated to:
$.get( "companies", { "q[name_cont]": query_text, active: returnActiveInctiveFlag } )
In my new methods updated returnActiveInctiveFlag accordingly.
Was really overcomplicating it. Thanks again for getting me thinking in the correct way.