[SOLVED] Grails filters not being called for custom actions

Grails filters not being called for custom actions

I'm trying to implement a filter that should be called in certain instances before going to a GSP page. As the URL does not differ a lot between the instances where I want it to happen, and those where I don't, I thought the best way to do this would be to create a method that does nothing (with a print statement inside) - but can simply be called when I want the filter action to take place.

I have tried this as both:

def hello(){
    print "hello"       
}

and

def hello = {
    print "hello"
}

calling these simply by adding

hello()

at the relevant point

The start of my filter is as follows:

import uui.FormattingService

class TimeFormatterFilters {

    def FormattingService formattingService

    def filters = {
        someFilter(controller: 'userProfile', action: 'hello') {
            before = {
                print "filter action taking place"

I do not see the print statement from within the filter for either of the newly made methods within the UserProfileController, yet if I swap the action for the filter to 'index', I see the print within the filter being called.

Solution

The problem you are facing is that you are calling the hello() action directly from another action within your controller. This is just a normal method call and does not pass through the filter.

Grails filters are called when an HTTP client requests a specific URI e.g. http://localhost:8080/my-app/myController/myAction will match myController and myAction.

If you simply call myAction() from within the controller when responding to a different URI the filter won't be used. Which is what you are doing.