How to call ApplicationController methods from ApplicationHelper

Question

I want to provide csv links in a view, and I put the csv generation code in ApplicationHelper . However, I get this error:

 undefined method `send_data' for #<#<Class:0x0000010151c708>:0x0000010151a070> 

referring to this:

 send_data content, :type => "text/plain", :filename => filename, :disposition => 'attachment' 

If I put csv code in the controller, it works fine. I was hoping to use an assistant to avoid having to define routes for each controller for which I want to provide csv parameters (I have a group). How can I make send_data (and other necessary methods) available helper?

Answer 1

Use helper_method .

By default, methods in ApplicationController are only available inside controllers.

Add a method to ApplicationController and show it as a helper method with helper_method :

 class ApplicationController < ActionController::Base helper_method :foo def foo "bar" end end 

The foo method is now available for both controllers and views.

Answer 2

If the problem is to make methods in ApplicationHelper available in all controllers, why not add a line

 include ApplicationHelper

to ApplicationController file?