ruby on rails - routes.rb - match file extension when multiple periods exist in filename

Question

I have created a route plus controller for doing dynamic css in ruby on rails as per the instructions here:

http://www.misuse.org/science/2006/09/26/dynamic-css-in-r

Answer 1

Use a regex to match the filename?

map.connect 'rcss/:rcssfile',
  :controller => 'rcss',
  :action => 'rcss',
  :requirements => {:rcssfile => /.+\.rcss/ }

This would match (anything).rcss - you could adjust the regex for various suffixes.

Answer 2

I used this for a general case when you don't know the extension:

get '/uploads/:basename.:extenstion', to: 'controller#action', basename: /.*(?=\.[\w\d]+$)/

Answer 3

It would seem that labeling a standard ":paramater" takes special consideration for the period character. ":parameter" will match a path with up to one period, ":parameter.:extension" will match a path with up to two periods, but the :extension will be only what's between the two periods, etc.

A way around this is to use what is called "Route Globbing", which uses an asterisk instead of a colon:

match 'rcss/*rcssfile', :to => 'rcss#rcss'

The only caveat is that this will match ANYTHING after the asterisk, including subdirectories. As such, you want to make sure that this does not accidentally expose any secure files or accidentally render things unintentionally.