GetVsPost Example Directions

GetVsPost Directions

Create a new rails project named GetVsPost.
Generate a Rails controller named ClientServer with two views named client and server.

Replace the ERB code in the client view client.html.erb with this source code:

<%= form_tag 'server', :method => 'get' do %>
<p>Information to be sent to server:</p>
<p>Name:<br />
<%= text_field_tag :name, "" %></p>
<p>Gender:<br />
<%= text_field_tag :gender, "" %></p>
<p>Age:<br />
<%= text_field_tag :age, "" %></p>
<p><%= submit_tag "Submit Info to Server" %></p>
<% end %>

Replace the ERB code in the server view server.html.erb with this source code:

<p>Information received from client:</p>
<p>Name: <%= @name %><br />
   Gender: <%= @gender %><br />
   Age: <%= @age %></p>

Replace the ERB code in the layout page application.html.erb with this code:

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
  <title>ClientServer Example</title>
  <%= stylesheet_link_tag "application", :media => "all" %>
</head>
<body>
  <h2>ClientServer Example</h2>
  <h3><%= @location %> View</h3>
  <%= yield %>
</body>
</html>

Replace the Ruby code in the ClientServer controller with this code:

class ClientServerController < ApplicationController
  def client
    @location = "Client"
  end
  def server
    @location = "Server"
    @name = params[:name]
    @gender = params[:gender]
    @age = params[:age]
  end
end

Display the client view in local host with this URL:
```
http://localhost:3000/client_server/client
```
Enter values for Name, Gender, and Age in the text fields, then click the Submit Info to Server button.

Observe the URL (split over two lines) for the server view

http://localhost:3000/client_server/server?utf8=%E2%9C%93
   &name=Alice&gender=F&age=14&commit=Submit+Info+to+Server

Notice how the information is sent to the server in the URL.

Now replace this line in the client view

<%= form_tag 'server', :method => 'get' do %>

with this:

<%= form_tag 'server', :method => 'post' do %>

and resubmit the information to the server.

When the information is submitted to the server using the POST method, this error message is obtained:
```
No route matches [POST] "/client_server/server"
```
Add this line to the app/config/routes.rb file:
```
post "client_server/server"
```
then resubmit the information to the server.
Observe the server view with
```
http://localhost:3000/client_server/server
```
Notice that the information is not sent to the server in the URL; it is sent in the HTTP header, which is more secure.
The POST method for sending information to the server is the default; in the client view, defining the form with
```
<%= form_tag 'server', :method => 'post' do %>
```
produces the same result as defining the form with
```
<%= form_tag 'server' do %>
```