rails: specify the HTTP verb in a redirect_to

Hi

Here's a basic overview of my domain:

• a user has a list of courses
• the user can "select" a course. The corresponding action is invoked with the PUT verb, stores the course_id in a session variable and redirects to the "show" action of the selected course.
• when the user has only 1 course available, I want to redirect him directly to the only course available (and invoke the "select" method before, of course).

From there, i see 2 options:

1. Keep the "select" action when the user clicks the link and add a new action for when the selection is automatic... but that doesn't look very DRY (even if I could refactor some code)
2. call the PUT action from the controller itself... but I haven't found how (is it even possible)?

Any alternative is welcome :)

Thanks for your help.

P.

From stackoverflow

• In the courses controller:

  def index
    @courses = Course.all
    if @courses.length == 1 #if only one course
      @course = @courses[0] #get that course
      session[:course_id] = @course.id #set the session
      redirect_to :action => "show", :param => "#{@course.id}" #redirect
    end
    respond_to do |format|
      format.html
      format.xml  { render :xml => @line_items }
    end
  end
  

  Pierre : Hi, thanks for the suggestion. I wanted to avoid duplicating the session[] part, but if there's no other choice, i think it will be a necessary evil. I'll perhaps make it a standalone method. Thanks! P.

  iano : Pierre, try: def show @course = Course.find(session[:course_id] instead of def show @course = Course.find(params[:id]) and you should be able to get rid of the param in the redirect_to line