button_to using GET method
ruby-on-rails, ruby-on-rails-3
Solution
As FancyDancy says, it's still a post request even though the information gets passed through the URL. Rails doesn't make a distinction between `$_GET` and `$_POST`. It only has the equivalent of `$_REQUEST`: `params`. So it doesn't really matter if the product_id gets passed via the URL or via a hidden form field. In both cases you can get it via `params[:product_id]`.
Problem
I am working through Agile Web Development with Rails 4th Edition (Rails 3.2+) and I am somewhat confused by the button_to method. The book as well as every other google search I have done says the button_to uses a POST request. However, when I inspect the page, the button_to appears to be using a GET method. Now, I could have this wrong, but I come from a php background and a POST method always meant that the data was being passed to the server without the url and accessed through an array server side: ``` $_POST['form_item'] ``` Furthermore, a GET request meant passing data through the url: ``` someurl.com/somepage?DATA=data_value ``` Using this button_to code: ``` <%= button_to 'Add to Cart', line_items_path(product_id: product_id) %> ``` This becomes the form output: ``` <form action="/line_items?product_id=4" class="button_to" method="post"> <div> <input type="submit" value="Add to Cart" /> <input name="authenticity_token" type="hidden" value="vGT1scGqasbQAMxYwofXHCM62MfSyM/pNty69Ep5t38=" /> </div> </form> ``` the action on this form appears to be passing data through the url (?product_id=4). Although I can clearly see the "method='post'", isnt this a using GET?