How do I invoke non-GET/POST HTTP methods in Play?

Question

I have a RESTful Play 2.0 application, and I'd like to call DELETE /sessions from a link in the browser.

How do I do this? Rails has a convention of using a _method query parameter for non-GET/POST requests, but Play's documents don't mention this.

Also, do I have to create a separate form or XMLHttpRequest in order to invoke the method from a link's href or is there something like Rails's data-method attribute?

biesior · Accepted Answer · 2012-05-06T18:25:37.927

0

You will not do that with common link.

Cite from similar topic on Google Groups:

A link (A tag) is not intended to work with DELETE method. The semantic of a link is to “link” to another resource, which can be retrieve using a GET request. You can do DELETE requests in Ajax, or in form using a POST method and containing an hidden input with name “X-HTTP-Method-Override” and value “DELETE”.

What is that mean: you need use GET to delete the item:

in conf/routes:

GET   /delete/:itemId    controllers.Application.deleteItem(itemid : Long)

in your view:

<a href="@routes.Application.deleteItem(item.id)">Delete @item.name</a>

Or with AJAX call:

<script type="text/javascript">
    $.ajax({
        url:"@routes.Application.actionToDeleteSomething()",
        type:"DELETE"
    });
</script>

edited May 06 '12 at 18:25

answered May 06 '12 at 18:00

biesior

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Seems correct. BUT, I'd say such particular client specific problem MUSTN'T be reflected in the server. Moreover the fact that the REST paradigm is broken now. So, what should be done is to not use an tag but a for instance that is rendered like a link. And keep DELETE in the route. OR at least, keep both GET and DELETE in the route, targetting the same controller – Andy Petrella May 07 '12 at 06:01
Thanks for the answer, but I agree with Andy that adding a dedicated URL feels wrong. What I did instead was just leave the `DELETE` method in `routes.conf` and then, when the user clicks the link, invoke a JavaScript function that makes an Ajax call to the DELETE method with a success callback that sets document.location.href to the destination page. Still hacky, but it makes the client ugly and leaves REST intact. – Bill May 07 '12 at 10:54
4

You shouldn’t *delete* a resource on a `GET` http request. – Julien Richard-Foy May 07 '12 at 18:45
@JulienRichard-Foy: So what instead ? form or ajax for each delete action? – biesior May 07 '12 at 19:10
3

Yes. `GET` actions should have no side effects. – Julien Richard-Foy May 07 '12 at 20:59
But the question is, does Play support the X-HTTP-Method-Override for routes defined in it's routes file? – Herman Jul 25 '12 at 22:28

How do I invoke non-GET/POST HTTP methods in Play?

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