Getting PDF from WickedPDF for attachment via Carrierwave

Question

In Rails3, I am using the WickedPDF gem to render a PDF format of one of my models. This is working fine: /invoices/123 returns HTML, /invoices/1

Answer 1

There's a better way: PDF in Rails without controllers.

Answer 2

Solution:

def create_pdf_copy

    wicked = WickedPdf.new

    # Make a PDF in memory
    pdf_file = wicked.pdf_from_string( 
        ActionController::Base.new().render_to_string(
            :template   => 'aggregations/show.pdf.haml', 
            :layout     => 'layouts/pdf.html.haml',
            :locals     => { 
                :aggregation => self
            } 
        ),
        :pdf => "#{self.type}-#{self}",
        :layout => 'pdf.html',
        :page_size => 'Letter',
        :wkhtmltopdf => '/usr/local/bin/wkhtmltopdf',
        :margin => {
            :top      => '0.5in',
            :bottom   => '1in',
            :left     => '0in',
            :right    => '0in'
        },
        :footer => {
            :content => ActionController::Base.new().render_to_string({
                :template => 'aggregations/footer.pdf.haml', 
                :layout => false
            })
        },
        :header => {
            :content => ActionController::Base.new().render_to_string({
                :template => 'aggregations/header.pdf.haml', 
                :layout => false
            })
        }
    )

    # Write it to tempfile
    tempfile = Tempfile.new(['invoice', '.pdf'], Rails.root.join('tmp'))
    tempfile.binmode
    tempfile.write pdf_file
    tempfile.close

    # Attach that tempfile to the invoice
    unless pdf_file.blank?
        self.uploads.clear
        self.uploads.create(:fileinfo => File.open(tempfile.path), :job_id => self.job.id)
        tempfile.unlink
    end

end