How to Force window.location.href to Redirect as JavaScript in Rails 6

---

If anything seems off to you, please feel free to write me at vlogize [AT] gmail [DOT] com.
---

Understanding the Problem

When you create a controller action that is called via a JavaScript (AJAX) request, Rails expects that you will handle the response in a JavaScript-friendly manner. However, if you send a response that Rails interprets as requiring a different format (like HTML), it will not perform the way you intend it to.

For example, the behavior you're facing might look something like this:

You initiate a POST request to a controller action.

In your controller, you attempt to redirect using JavaScript code.

Despite sending back JavaScript, your browser navigates to the URL using a regular HTML GET request, which is not what you want.

The Solution: Managing Format in Your URL Helper

Step-by-Step Approach

To resolve this issue, it's important to specify the format in which you want the URL to be generated. This is where adding the format argument to your URL helper comes into play.

Modify Your Controller Action: Instead of sending plain JavaScript, ensure that you specify the format. Here’s how you can modify your redirect command:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

What This Does: By setting the format to JavaScript, Rails understands that the request is aimed to handle a JavaScript response. It will append .js to the URL, so the request will be appropriately treated by the browser.

Example Scenario:
Let’s say you are trying to redirect to an edit action of a different controller. Use the following code in your Rails controller where the AJAX call is hitting:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Key Takeaways

Always specify the format when you expect a JavaScript response from the server.

Use format: :js in your URL helpers to ensure the output is handled correctly.

This small adjustment will ensure that your redirection works seamlessly and behaves as expected.

Conclusion