Resource controllers API

Per-method reference for the overridable hooks in Avo's resource controllers. For task-oriented documentation and worked examples, see the Resource controllers guide.

All hooks are overridden in the controller Avo generates for each resource:

class Avo::CoursesController < Avo::ResourcesController
  # overrides go here
end

Each snippet below shows the method's default behavior — start from it when overriding. Calling super runs the default implementation.

Create methods

-> after_create_path

The path the user is redirected to after a record was created with success.

def after_create_path
  "/avo/resources/users"
end

• Default behavior: when the record was created through an association, redirects to the parent record's page. Otherwise honors the resource's self.after_create_path option, falling back to the new record's Show view (or Edit, when config.resource_default_view is :edit).

WARNING

Overriding this method replaces the associated-record redirect. Return super when params[:via_relation_class] and params[:via_record_id] are present if you want to keep that behavior.

-> create_success_action

The response rendered when a record was created with success.

def create_success_action
  if params[:via_belongs_to_resource_class].present?
    respond_to do |format|
      format.turbo_stream do
        # The dialog's own frame: modal_frame, or modal_frame_nested and deeper when it was opened from another dialog.
        modal_frame_id = helpers.current_modal_frame_id || Avo::MODAL_FRAME_ID.to_s

        render turbo_stream: [
          turbo_stream.update(modal_frame_id, ""),
          turbo_stream.avo_update_belongs_to(
            relation_name: params[:via_relation],
            target_name: params[:via_belongs_to_target_name],
            frame_id: modal_frame_id,
            target_record_id: @record.to_param,
            target_resource_label: @resource.record_title,
            target_resource_class: @record.class.name
          )
        ]
      end
    end
    return
  end

  respond_to do |format|
    format.html { redirect_to after_create_path, flash: {success: create_success_message} }
  end
end

• Default behavior: when the record was created through a belongs_to modal (params[:via_belongs_to_resource_class] is present), renders Turbo Streams that close that dialog and select the new record in the field that opened it. Otherwise redirects to after_create_path with the success flash.

WARNING

Keep the super guard for the belongs_to-modal branch — dropping it breaks the "Create new record" flow inside belongs_to fields.

INFO

A "Create new" dialog can open another one on top of it, so the stream clears only the current dialog's frame instead of removing Avo::MODAL_FRAME_ID. target_name and frame_id make sure the new record lands in the field that opened the dialog, not in a field with the same name in the dialog underneath. Both are optional; without them every field for relation_name is updated.

-> create_fail_action

The response rendered when a record failed to be created.

def create_fail_action
  flash.now[:error] = create_fail_message

  respond_to do |format|
    format.html { render :new, status: :unprocessable_content }
    format.turbo_stream { render "create_fail_action" }
  end
end

• Default behavior: flashes create_fail_message and re-renders the form. On Rails older than 7.1 the status is :unprocessable_entity instead of :unprocessable_content.

-> create_success_message

The flash message shown when a record was created with success.

def create_success_message
  "#{@resource.name} #{t("avo.was_successfully_created")}."
end

• Default: "Course was successfully created."

-> create_fail_message

The flash message shown when a record failed to be created.

def create_fail_message
  t "avo.you_missed_something_check_form"
end

• Default: "You might have missed something. Please check the form."

Update methods

-> after_update_path

The path the user is redirected to after a record was updated with success.

def after_update_path
  "/avo/resources/users"
end

• Default behavior: returns params[:return_to] when present, then params[:referrer] when present. Otherwise honors the resource's self.after_update_path option, falling back to the record's Show view (or Edit, when config.resource_default_view is :edit).

WARNING

Overriding this method disables the return_to mechanism Avo uses to send users back where they came from. Return super when params[:return_to] is present to keep it.

-> update_success_action

The response rendered when a record was updated with success.

def update_success_action
  respond_to do |format|
    format.html { redirect_to after_update_path, flash: {success: update_success_message} }
  end
end

• Default behavior: redirects to after_update_path with the success flash.

-> update_fail_action

The response rendered when a record failed to be updated.

def update_fail_action
  flash.now[:error] = update_fail_message

  respond_to do |format|
    format.html { render :edit, status: :unprocessable_content }
    format.turbo_stream { render "update_fail_action" }
  end
end

• Default behavior: flashes update_fail_message and re-renders the form. On Rails older than 7.1 the status is :unprocessable_entity instead of :unprocessable_content.

-> update_success_message

The flash message shown when a record was updated with success.

def update_success_message
  "#{@resource.name} #{t("avo.was_successfully_updated")}."
end

• Default: "Course was successfully updated."

-> update_fail_message

The flash message shown when a record failed to be updated.

def update_fail_message
  t "avo.you_missed_something_check_form"
end

• Default: "You might have missed something. Please check the form."

Destroy methods

-> after_destroy_path

The path the user is redirected to after a record was destroyed with success.

def after_destroy_path
  "/avo/resources/users"
end

• Default behavior: returns params[:referrer] when present, otherwise the resource's Index view.

-> destroy_success_action

The response rendered when a record was destroyed with success.

def destroy_success_action
  return super if params[:turbo_frame]

  flash[:notice] = destroy_success_message

  respond_to do |format|
    format.html { redirect_to after_destroy_path }
  end
end

• Default behavior: flashes destroy_success_message; when the delete happened inside a Turbo Frame (an association list, for example) it reloads that frame via Turbo Streams, otherwise it redirects to after_destroy_path.

WARNING

Keep the super guard for the params[:turbo_frame] branch — dropping it breaks deleting records from association lists.

-> destroy_fail_action

The response rendered when a record failed to be destroyed.

def destroy_fail_action
  flash[:error] = destroy_fail_message

  respond_to do |format|
    format.turbo_stream { render turbo_stream: turbo_stream.avo_flash_alerts }
  end
end

• Default behavior: flashes destroy_fail_message and renders it as a Turbo Stream alert, without leaving the current page.

-> destroy_success_message

The flash message shown when a record was destroyed with success.

def destroy_success_message
  t("avo.resource_destroyed", attachment_class: @attachment_class)
end

• Default: "Record destroyed"

-> destroy_fail_message

The flash message shown when a record failed to be destroyed.

def destroy_fail_message
  errors = @record.errors.full_messages
  errors.present? ? errors.join(". ") : t("avo.failed")
end

• Default: the record's validation errors joined together, or "Something went wrong" when there are none.

Persistence methods

-> save_record_action

The method that persists the record on create and update.

def save_record_action
  @resource.save_record(@record)
end

• Default behavior: calls the resource's save_record, which runs @record.save!. Exceptions raised here are caught, logged, and added to the record's errors, which triggers the fail action and message.

INFO

Override this when the change belongs to one controller. When it belongs to the resource under every controller, such as the admin panel, the REST API and your own controllers, define save_record(record) on the resource instead. Since avo >= v4.3.0

-> destroy_record_action

The method that removes the record on destroy.

def destroy_record_action
  @resource.destroy_record(@record)
end

• Default behavior: calls the resource's destroy_record, which runs @record.destroy!. Exceptions raised here (a foreign key constraint, for example) are caught, logged, and added to the record's errors, which triggers the fail action and message. Override it to soft-delete or archive instead.

INFO

Override this when the delete belongs to one controller. When it belongs to the resource under every controller, define destroy_record(record) on the resource instead. Since avo >= v4.3.0

Parent record methods

-> via_record

Since avo >= v4.2.11

The parent record the current one is created, shown, or edited through, like the post a comment is created from.

def via_record
  set_via_resource_and_record
  @via_record
end

• Default behavior: finds the parent from params[:via_record_id] with the parent resource's find_record_method on first use, then keeps it in @via_record. Returns nil when the request has no parent.
• In actions: new, show, and edit load it before they return, so @via_record is set after super. In other hooks, call via_record.

-> via_resource

The parent record's resource, hydrated with via_record.

def via_resource
  set_via_resource_and_record
  @via_resource
end

• Default behavior: uses the resource named by params[:via_resource_class]. When only params[:via_relation_class] is present, uses the resource for that model. Kept in @via_resource. Returns nil when the request has no parent.