link_to first name and last name as one link

Question

I have the first name and last name which both link to the users profile:

= link_to (@post.user.fname), user_path(@post.user_id) 
= link_to (@post.user.lname), user_path(@post.user_id)

These are two separate links. When I hover the mouse over the first name it only highlights the first name. And vice versa. (Example is just a randomly generated name)

How do I make the first name and last name one single link_to so it underlines the full name?

Answer 1

Join names with string interpolation:

= link_to "#{@post.user.fname} #{@post.user.lname}", user_path(@post.user_id)

There is a more good solution, add a method to the user model which returns the full name.

#app/models/user.rb

def full_name
  "#{fname} #{lname}"
end

And use it in the link_to helper:

 = link_to @post.user.full_name, user_path(@post.user_id)

There is another solution, use the delegate method, here is an example:

#app/models/post.rb

# Obviously post belongs to user
belongs_to :user
delegate :full_name, to: :user
# which means if the `full_name` method 
# invokes on the @post model `delegate` it to user

Usage:

= link_to @post.full_name, user_path(@post.user_id)

Here is another example of Rails magic:

= link_to @post.full_name, @post.user

As you can see I omit the user_path helper and just pass an @post.user object, Rails able to construct path helper for me under the hood.