Django, jQuery, and autocomplete

Question

After some extensive research (Googling), I cannot find a current tutorial on how to set up autocomplete using Django and jQuery. There appears to be a variety of plugins and there appears to be no consistency or standard about which to use or when.

I'm not a pro at either Django or jQuery, but need an autocomplete solution that is well documented and fairly simple to utilize.

Suggestions?

Answer 1

If you're looking to search from within your django models then something like:

from django.utils import simplejson
    def autocompleteModel(request):
    search_qs = ModelName.objects.filter(name__startswith=request.REQUEST['search'])
    results = []
    for r in search_qs:
        results.append(r.name)
    resp = request.REQUEST['callback'] + '(' + simplejson.dumps(result) + ');'
    return HttpResponse(resp, content_type='application/json')

For the jQuery autocomplete and call:

function searchOpen() {
    var search = $('#txtSearch').val()
    var data = {
        search: search
    };
    $.ajax({
        url: '/search.json',
        data: data,
        dataType: 'jsonp',
        jsonp: 'callback',
        jsonpCallback: 'searchResult'
    });
}


function searchResult(data) {
    $( "#txtSearch" ).autocomplete ({
        source: data
    });
}

Finally to connect it all on your input form would have something like:

<input type="text" name="search" id="txtSearch" onkeyup="searchOpen()" />

Note, this is using Jquery UI as well in addition to stock jQuery.

Answer 2

Meanwhile, a good tutorial appeared.

autocomplete does everything for you, all you have to do is the following:

js

$(function() {
  $("#search-field").autocomplete({
    source: "/ajax_calls/myFunction",
    minLength: 2,
  });
});

urls.py

url(r'^ajax_calls/myFunction/', 'my_app.views.handler_function'),

views.py

def get_drugs(request):

    if request.is_ajax():
        .....
        data = json.dumps(results)
    else:
        data = 'fail'
    mimetype = 'application/json'
    return HttpResponse(data, mimetype)

SOURCE: http://flaviusim.com/blog/AJAX-Autocomplete-Search-with-Django-and-jQuery/