button_to to render pdf format

Question

In my controller I have the action:

def booking_sheet_report
  @groups = Group.all.order('priority DESC')
  respond_to do |format|
    format.html
    format.csv
    format.pdf
  end
end

and in the view I want the user to be able to open (download) the format.pdf when clicking on a button_to element (I do have a booking_sheet_report.pdf.erb view). With a link_to (<%= link_to 'PDF', booking_sheet_report_path(format: :pdf) %>) works fine.

I tried the followings without any success:

<%= button_to "PDF", {action: "booking_sheet_report",  :form => { "data-type" => "pdf" }}, {class: 'btn-u', method: :get} %>


<%= button_to "PDF", {action: "booking_sheet_report(format: :pdf)",  :form => { "data-type" => "pdf" }}, {class: 'btn-u', method: :get} %>

The second one gives an error: No route matches {:action=>"booking_sheet_report(format: :pdf)", :controller=>"reports", :form=>{"data-type"=>"pdf"}}

Any clue how is this possible or what I am doing wrong?

Edit: the one relevant route is get 'booking_sheet_report' => 'reports#booking_sheet_report'

Try `<%= button_to "PDF", {action: "booking_sheet_report(format: :pdf)"}, :form => { "data-type" => "pdf" }, {class: 'btn-u', method: :get} %>` — Pavan, Oct 27 '15 at 08:42
@DavorBramorPečnik putting the one relevant route now. No route for pdf really. — , Oct 27 '15 at 08:45
@Pavan syntax error, unexpected ')', expecting => ...class: 'btn-u', method: :get} );@output_buffer.safe_append=' ... ^ — , Oct 27 '15 at 08:48
Ok. Using parenthesis is always tricky. Try this `<%= button_to "PDF", booking_sheet_report_path(format: :pdf), class: 'btn-u', method: :get, :form => {"data-type" => "pdf" } %>` — Pavan, Oct 27 '15 at 08:56
it worked, thank you. just changed the booking_sheet_report to booking_sheet_report_path — , Oct 27 '15 at 08:58

Pavan · Accepted Answer · 2015-10-27T09:15:29.507

No route matches {:action=>"booking_sheet_report(format: :pdf)", :controller=>"reports", :form=>{"data-type"=>"pdf"}}

<%= button_to "PDF", {action: "booking_sheet_report(format: :pdf)",  :form => { "data-type" => "pdf" }}, {class: 'btn-u', method: :get} %>

The problem with above code is you are closing the parenthesis(}) at the wrong side. I mean the closing parenthesis for :action => is placed on the wrong side. So it is considering the whole thing as url option and that is reported as a no route error. Also using parenthesis is always tricky.

button_to(name = nil, options = nil, html_options = nil, &block) public

The following should work

<%= button_to "PDF", booking_sheet_report_path(format: :pdf), class: 'btn-u', method: :get, :form => {"data-type" => "pdf" } %>

button_to to render pdf format

1 Answers1