Rails Displaying a category name from a belongs_to - ruby-on-rails

Question

I would like to display a category name instead of a number (cat_id) from a belongs to relationship, I have cars and makes, basically here's the code -
show.html.erb
<p id="notice"><%= notice %></p>
<p>
<b>Make:</b>
<%= #car.make_id %>
</p>
<h2>
<em><%= #car.model %> <%= #car.body_typw %> <%= #car.engine_size %> <%= #car.trim %></em>
</h2>
<p>
<%= image_tag #car.image(:large) %>
</p>
<% #carimages.each do |carimage| %>
<%= image_tag carimage.image(:thumb), :class => "imgsmall" %>
<% end %>
<p>
<b>Transmission:</b>
<%= #car.transmission %>
</p>
<p>
<b>Fuel type:</b>
<%= #car.fuel_type %>
</p>
<p>
<b>Millage:</b>
<%= #car.millage %>
</p>
<p>
<b>Price:</b>
<%= number_to_currency(#car.price) %>
</p>
<p>
<%= raw #car.content %>
</p>
So basically i want the Make name here:-
<p>
<b>Make:</b>
<%= #car.make_id %>
</p>
cars_controller.rb
class CarsController < ApplicationController
# GET /cars
# GET /cars.json
def index
#cars = Car.all
respond_to do |format|
format.html # index.html.erb
format.json { render json: #cars }
end
end
# GET /cars/1
# GET /cars/1.json
def show
#car = Car.find(params[:id])
#pages = Page.all
#carimages = Carimage.all
#carimages = Carimage.find(:all, :limit => 10, :order => "id DESC")
respond_to do |format|
format.html # show.html.erb
format.json { render json: #car }
end
end
# GET /cars/new
# GET /cars/new.json
def new
#car = Car.new
respond_to do |format|
format.html # new.html.erb
format.json { render json: #car }
end
end
# GET /cars/1/edit
def edit
#car = Car.find(params[:id])
end
# POST /cars
# POST /cars.json
def create
#car = Car.new(params[:car])
respond_to do |format|
if #car.save
format.html { redirect_to #car, notice: 'Car was successfully created.' }
format.json { render json: #car, status: :created, location: #car }
else
format.html { render action: "new" }
format.json { render json: #car.errors, status: :unprocessable_entity }
end
end
end
# PUT /cars/1
# PUT /cars/1.json
def update
#car = Car.find(params[:id])
respond_to do |format|
if #car.update_attributes(params[:car])
format.html { redirect_to #car, notice: 'Car was successfully updated.' }
format.json { head :ok }
else
format.html { render action: "edit" }
format.json { render json: #car.errors, status: :unprocessable_entity }
end
end
end
# DELETE /cars/1
# DELETE /cars/1.json
def destroy
#car = Car.find(params[:id])
#car.destroy
respond_to do |format|
format.html { redirect_to cars_url }
format.json { head :ok }
end
end
end
it is related through make table - id and car table - make_id
Thanks
Robbie

Answer 1

Sure - the belongs to relationship gives you an object (a Make in your case), which you can call methods on - including getting field names!
So, If you set up your models like so:
class Car < ActiveRecord::Base
belongs_to :make
end
class Make < ActiveRecord::Base
end
And Make has a field named name, you could in your view:
<p>
<b>Make:</b>
<%= #car.make.name %>
</p>