respond with redirect on json request - ruby-on-rails

Question

I am using a bootstrap typeahead plugin. Basically, it expects a json response when you click on one of the items in the dropdown menu. However, when the item is clicked, I want to redirect to a different page; I do not want to respond with json. I don't know how to handle this situation. This is what I have:
def populate_global_search
respond_to do |format|
if params[:name] && params[:name][:value]
model = Model.where(name: params[:name][:value]
else
model = nil
end
if model.present?
format.json { redirect_to model }
else
format.json { head :ok}
end
end
end
The action is triggered from an ajax call:
$(element).bind('typeahead:selected', function(obj, datum, name) {
$.ajax({
url: that.format_url(),
data: {
name : datum
}
}).done(function(data){
...
Since the redirect_to is not a json response, nothing happens when I click on the item. What can I do?

Answer 1

The main problem here, you call the populate_global_search action asynchronously, respond_to block unable to redirect an asynchronously call. To resolve your problem I suggest you render the path to redirect and change the location by window.location:
The javascript code(that's just an assumption):
$(element).bind('typeahead:selected', function(obj, datum, name) {
$.ajax({
url: that.format_url(),
data: {
name : datum
}
}).done(function(data){
// redirect to the desired path
window.location = data.location;
});
The Rails code(also assumption):
def populate_global_search
respond_to do |format|
if params[:name] && params[:name][:value]
# I use find_by, because where return a collection
model = Model.find_by(name: params[:name][:value])
else
model = nil
end
if model.present?
# render a json objects { location: '/some_path/12' }
# with path which you need
format.json { render json: { location: here_is_the_desired_path } }
else
format.json { head :ok }
end
end
end
Bonus, your can reduce your Rails code to, this also should works:
def populate_global_search
model = Model.find_by(name: params[:name].try(:[], :value))
if model.present?
render json: { location: here_is_the_desired_path }
else
head :ok
end
end