HTML (or Rails) button code issue

Question

I'm struggling with the following problem: What's the correct HTML (and/or Rails) code for

a button that resides within a form, and
that should lead to a new page, but
should not submit anything (from the form)?

Basically, the button should work exactly like a hyperlink.

Thanks for your help!

Tom

It has to be a button simply for design reasons (consistency)... — TomDogg
– TomDogg, Commented Oct 19, 2010 at 16:08
@Trip: I can't style the buttons in this case, I have to use the raw browser format. And as far as I know, it's not possible to turn a hyperlink into a button, using CSS... — TomDogg
– TomDogg, Commented Oct 19, 2010 at 16:43

John Glass · Accepted Answer · 2011-05-26 20:11:54Z

1

Old question, but for teh Googlez I have a non-JS solution. You can extract the button to a helper method, and then return the html for the button with the link generated by url_for. Use a dummy button as a link and you won't have to worry about doing something fancy to style the button.

def back_button
  target_url = url_for :controller => :users, :action => :new
  "<a href=#{target_url} style='text-decoration:none;'><button type='button'>&lt;&lt; Back</button></a>"
end

answered May 26, 2011 at 20:11

John Glass

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coder_tim · Accepted Answer · 2010-10-19 16:21:54Z

0

You might try the "button_to" tag: Rails API

answered Oct 19, 2010 at 16:21

coder_tim

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3 Comments

TomDogg Over a year ago

Unfortunately, this doesn't work: Usually, Rails would embed a submit button within an additional form. In my case, the button is already within a form, which apparently makes Rails drop the second additional form (probably because a form within a form is invalid HTML). Therefor, I'd end up with a submit button within a form, which POSTs the form - which should not happen...

coder_tim Over a year ago

Good point, I should've anticipated that. Well, there are a couple hacks. You could have a button image within a link (link_to image_tag ...), or you could use html/javascript for input type=button and have the onclick redirect you to a different page.

TomDogg Over a year ago

Thanks - the javascript proposal is the best, given my conditions. In Rails speak, the code then become: button_to_function 'Go to new page' do |page| page.redirect_to whatever_path end

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