Grails/AJAX: Updating an arbitrary region in the page using g:submitToRemote

Question

In a GSP (Groovy Server Page), I'm using `` to update a `

` after the server-side call. According to the tag's documentation and other sources on the web, the target `

` can be placed arbitrarily at the page. In my testings, however, I find that the `

` needs to surround the `` tag. If it does not, the `

` will be updated with some "random" contents (i.e., parts of the form that surround the `` tag). Consider the following GSP code: ```

${message}

``` That's on Grails 1.3.4. What am I missing? - Thanks

Accepted Answer

According to my testings, `g:submitToRemote`'s `action` attribute must not point to the current controller's current action (as this will insert/duplicate the current view into the current view).

It works if you specify an alternate action in `g:submitToRemote` - i.e.,

```
<g:submitToRemote value="Click Me"
    action="ajaxAction" update="updateMe" />
```

If this action provides a model - i.e.,

```
def ajaxAction = { [message: 'foo'] }
```

then there needs to be a corresponding GSP - that, in this case, should state,

```
$message
```

Alternatively, the action can use the `render` method - like this,

```
def ajaxAction = { render 'foo' }
```

I'll leave this issue open for some time, in case there might be additional responses, and, if there aren't, will accept this answer as the solution.

Thanks

Grails/AJAX: Updating an arbitrary region in the page using g:submitToRemote

Solution

Problem