Is it possible to override Rails path helper methods? [duplicate] - ruby-on-rails

Question

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Override route helper methods
(2 answers)
Closed 8 years ago.
Current verbose rails path helpers
I'm constantly writing code to get URLs like:
link_to #applicant.name, company_job_applicant_path(#company, #job, #applicant)
However this code looks more like this (redundant) piece:
link_to #applicant.name, company_job_applicant_path(#applicant.job.company, #applicant.job, #applicant)
This is silly.
Required 'pert' path helpers
The other parameters can clearly be derived from the #job. All I should really need to type is:
link_to #applicant.name, applicant_quick_path #applicant
where there is a definition somewhere of:
def applicant_quick_path applicant
company_job_applicant_path(applicant.job.company, applicant.job, applicant)
end
My questions
Is this a reasonable Rails Way to do things
Where should I store this method?
I can currently access these helpers in the console using app.company_path. How would I access my new helper methods from the console?

Answer 1

Yes, DRY is the "Rails way" to do things. If you're repeating this method over and over again, it makes sense to create a view helper for it. Instead of modifying the path helpers, I'd simply wrap rails link_to method.
You can do something quick and easy like this:
# app/helpers/application_helper.rb
def link_to_applicant(applicant)
link_to applicant.name, company_job_applicant_path(applicant.job.company, applicant.job, applicant)
end
# link_to(#applicant)
#=> Peter Nixey
Alternatively, you can roll in some extra support for the link_to method
def link_to_applicant(applicant, html_options={})
link_to applicant.name, company_job_applicant_path(applicant.job.company, applicant.job, applicant), html_options
end
# link_to_applicant(#applicant, :id=>"applicant-#{#applicant.id}")
#=> <a id="applicant-123" href="companies/jobs/applicants/123">Peter Nixey</a>
If you want to fully support all the features provided by link_to, you can see how they permit for multiple function signatures here
# rails link_to source code
def link_to(*args, &block)
if block_given?
options = args.first || {}
html_options = args.second
link_to(capture(&block), options, html_options)
else
name = args[0]
options = args[1] || {}
html_options = args[2]
html_options = convert_options_to_data_attributes(options, html_options)
url = url_for(options)
href = html_options['href']
tag_options = tag_options(html_options)
href_attr = "href=\"#{html_escape(url)}\"" unless href
"<a #{href_attr}#{tag_options}>#{html_escape(name || url)}</a>".html_safe
end
end
RSpec notes
If you'd like to write tests for your view helpers in RSpec, follow this guide:
https://www.relishapp.com/rspec/rspec-rails/docs/helper-specs/helper-spec

Answer 2

You're describing a very typical Rails helper.
They go in app/helpers.
By default that directory will have an ApplicationHelper module, or you can add your own if you want to organize them differently.