Controller to handle JSON API POSTs

item_controller.rb

class Api::ItemsController < ApplicationController
  respond_to :json
  
  def create
    begin
      puts "params: #{params}"
      
      post_data = params[:item_post].is_a?(String) ? JSON.parse(params[:item_post]) : params[:item_post]
      user_data = post_data['user'] || {}
      item_data = post_data['item'] || {}
      
      puts "post_data: #{post_data}"
      puts "user_data: #{user_data}"
      puts "item_data: #{item_data}"
      
      if user_data['uid'] && user_data['provider']
        @user = User.find_by_provider_and_uid(user_data['provider'], user_data['uid'])
      elsif user_data['token']
        @user = User.create_with_token(user_data['token'])
      elsif user_data['email']
        @user = User.find_by_email(user_data['email'])
      end
    
      if @user
        @item = @user.items.new(item_data)
      else
        @item = Item.new(item_data)
        @item.reply_email = user_data['email']
      end
    
      if @item.save
        if post_data['item_images']
          post_data['item_images'].each_value do |item_image|
            @item.images.create(item_image)
          end
        end
        respond_with(@item, :location => item_url(@item), :status => :created)
      else
        puts "Errors 1: #{@item.errors}"
        respond_with(@item.errors)
      end
      
      
    rescue => e
      puts "Errors 2: #{e.message}"
      respond_with(e.message, :status => :unprocessable_entity)
    end
  end
  
end

items_controller_spec.rb

require 'spec_helper'

describe Api::ItemsController do

describe "response" do
      before(:each) do
        
        @iphone_json = "{
            \"item\":{
              \"title\":\"Apple TV\",
              \"price\":\"45.50\",
              \"description\":\"Dual-Shielded High Speed HDMI Cable with Ethernet 2M are sold yesterday\",
              \"zipcode\":\"94102\"
            },
            \"user\":{
              \"email\":\"user@email.com\"
            }
          }"
      end

      context "valid item" do
        it "should respond with the item" do
          post :create, :item_post => @iphone_json, :format => :json
          response.should be_http_ok
        end
      end
end