Issue with getting my API Call in Rails to properly display correctly in views (Using HTTParty) -

i using httparty gem in rails make api call , has been successful. receive no errors after defining variables in controller can not loops produce anything.

if type in <%= @variable %> shows active record object expected. if same include variable.name provides string, not hoping. have followed several httparty tutorials , put in lot of api research can't seem figured out. trying retrieve list of snacks external api. here have (some of things in view test).

api call (i put in separate folder services):

    class snackapi   include httparty   base_uri 'https://api-snacks.nerderylabs.com/v1/'   snack_access = "/snacks?apikey=#{env['snack_api_key']}"    def get_snacks     response = self.class.get(snack_access)     json.parse(response.body)   end end 

first time posting code snippets not sure how post in proper indentation, correct in application.

controller:

class snackscontroller < applicationcontroller   def index     @snacks = snack.all     @permanent_snacks = snack.where(optional: false)     @optional_snacks = snack.where(optional: true)   end end 

model:

    class snack < applicationrecord   validates :name, presence: true   validates_uniqueness_of :name end 

view (index.html.erb) in snacks folder:

    <h1> welcome snafoo! </h1>  <!-- attempting these loops display each snack item included in api nothing appears -->  <% @permanent_snacks.each |snack| %>   <%= snack.name %> <% end %>  <% @optional_snacks.each |snack| %>   <%= snack.name %> <% end %>  <%= @snacks %> <%= @optional_snacks %> <%= @permanent_snacks %>  <br  />  snack name paramater (to test):  <%= @snacks.name %>  <!-- recognizes fields , datatypes --> 

results in view: objects ( each one. expected this, test api retrieving info) <%= @snacks.name %> outputs snack @ least recognizing fields , datatypes in schema. main issue getting loops work , display each snack in api.

i have tried hours attempting resolve on own i'm @ point of frustration , appreciate point me in right direction.

if schema needed/helpful resolve can post too.

terminal output when load page (usually code on ubuntu coding on windows due issues partition:

started "/" 10.0.2.2 @ 2017-09-11 21:49:49 +0000 cannot render console 10.0.2.2! allowed networks: 127.0.0.1, ::1, 127.0.0.0/127.255.255.255 processing snackscontroller#index html rendering snacks/index.html.erb within layouts/application snack load (0.3ms) select "snacks".* "snacks" "snacks"."optional" = $1 [["optional", "f"]] snack load (0.5ms) select "snacks".* "snacks" "snacks"."optional" = $1 [["optional", "t"]] rendered snacks/index.html.erb within layouts/application (3.5ms) completed 200 ok in 401ms (views: 374.1ms | activerecord: 0.8ms)

start fixing client:

# place in /lib or app/clients not service object. # app/clients/snack_api.rb class snackapi   include httparty   base_uri 'https://api-snacks.nerderylabs.com/v1/'   format :json    def initialize(*opts)     @options = opts.reverse_merge({       apikey: env['snack_api_key']     })   end   def get_snacks     response = self.class.get('/snacks', @options)   end end 

use format :json instead of instead of parsing json response manually. important since if api errors out , returns empty response json.parse blows up:

irb(main):002:0> json.parse('') json::parsererror: 745: unexpected token @ '' 

if want display articles straight api don't need model:

class snackscontroller < applicationcontroller   def index     response = snackapi.get_snacks      if response.success?       @snacks = response[:snacks]     else       flash.now[:error] = "could not fetch snacks"       @snacks = []     end   end end 

otherwise create service object consume api:

# app/services/snack_import_service class snackimportservice    attr_accessor :client    def intialize(client = nil, **opts)     # trick lets inject spy or double in tests     @client = client || snackapi.new(opts)   end    def perform     response = client.get_snacks     # remember http requests can , fail     if response.success?       response[:snacks].map |data|         snack.find_or_create_by!(name: data[:name])       end     else       rails.logger.error "snackapi request unsuccessful #{response.code}"     end   end end 

having separate service object client idea adheres single responsibility principle , lets extract out client gem reusable component separate application logic.

class snackscontroller < applicationcontroller   def index     @snacks = snackimportservice.new.perform     @permanent_snacks = snack.where(optional: false)     @optional_snacks = snack.where(optional: true)   end end