reusing a controller method from another controller method (rails) - ruby-on-rails

Question

I have a fairly complex method in my controller that basically outputs data to be used in a view to create a donut graph.
def courses_allocated
course_id = params[:course_id];
client_id = params[:client_id];
override_client_id = get_client_id_for_current_user
unless override_client_id.nil?
client_id = override_client_id
end
category_course_enrollments = CourseEnrollment.select("course_categories.title, COUNT(*) as count").
joins("INNER JOIN courses ON course_enrollments.course_id = courses.id").
joins("INNER JOIN course_categories ON courses.course_category_id = course_categories.id").
group("course_categories.id").
order("course_categories.title")
course_enrollments = CourseEnrollment.select("COUNT(*) as count, course_enrollments.course_id, courses.title").
joins("INNER JOIN courses ON course_enrollments.course_id = courses.id").
joins("INNER JOIN course_categories ON courses.course_category_id = course_categories.id").
group("course_enrollments.course_id").
order("course_categories.title")
unless course_id.blank?
category_course_enrollments = category_course_enrollments.where("course_enrollments.course_id = ?" , course_id.to_i)
course_enrollments = course_enrollments.where("course_enrollments.course_id = ?" , course_id.to_i)
end
unless client_id.blank?
category_course_enrollments = category_course_enrollments.where("courses.client_id = ?", client_id)
course_enrollments = course_enrollments.where("courses.client_id = ?", client_id)
end
#category_data = []
#course_assigned_data = []
#course_assigned_detail_data = []
category_course_enrollments.each do |category_course_enrollment|
#category_data.push([category_course_enrollment.title, category_course_enrollment.count]);
end
course_enrollments.each do |course_enrollment|
not_started = CourseEnrollment.select("COUNT(patient_id) AS total_not_started").
where('started IS NULL').
where('course_id = ?', course_enrollment.course_id).first.total_not_started
in_progress = CourseEnrollment.select("COUNT(patient_id) AS total_in_progress").
where('started IS NOT NULL').
where('completed IS NULL').
where('course_id = ?', course_enrollment.course_id).first.total_in_progress
completed = CourseEnrollment.select("COUNT(patient_id) AS total_completed").
where('completed IS NOT NULL').
where('course_id = ?', course_enrollment.course_id).first.total_completed
#course_assigned_data.push([course_enrollment.title, course_enrollment.count]);
#course_assigned_detail_data.push({'name'=>course_enrollment.title + " Not Started", 'y'=> not_started, 'color'=>'#ff8800'});
#course_assigned_detail_data.push({'name'=>course_enrollment.title + " In Progress", 'y'=> in_progress, 'color'=>'#0088ff'});
#course_assigned_detail_data.push({'name'=>course_enrollment.title + " Completed", 'y'=> completed ,'color'=>'#44cc44'});
end
end
The View for the donut graph (besides the input for a form is:)
<div id="reportcoursesallocatedgraph">
</div>
<script type="text/javascript">
new IS.ReportCoursesAllocated('Course Allocated', <%= raw(ActiveSupport::JSON.encode(#category_data)); %>, <%= raw(ActiveSupport::JSON.encode(#course_assigned_data)); %>, <%= raw(ActiveSupport::JSON.encode(#course_assigned_detail_data)); %>, 'reportcoursesallocatedgraph');
</script>
I want to reuse the logic from courses_allocated from a method in the same class; def dashboard. (The dashboard method basically creates a bunch of different graphs)
Should I make a private method that they can both share?

Answer 1

If the logic is identical, then you can just alias dashboard to courses_allocated. To do that, you can put this right below the courses_allocated action method.
alias dashboard courses_allocated