How to use "needs" with nested routes / controllers in emberjs RC 2 - ember.js

Question

I have a very basic route setup that allows me to first show "all" records for some object. Then if the user selects a dropdown they can filter this down using a date.
I recently upgraded to RC2 and realized that "needs" has replaced or will soon replace controllerFor.
I'm curious how I can use "needs" in the below situation where I need the nested / inner route for "records.date" to change the content for the parent "records" route when a date is selected.
What is missing from below is that inside the App.RecordsDateRoute I need to change the content of the "records" controller to be a new filter (by date this time) and everything I seem to do just dumps the handlebars template and show nothing -even when I try to use something simple like
this.controllerFor("records").set('content', App.Record.find(new Date(model.loaded)))
from within the setupController method of the RecordsDateRoute
App.Router.map(function(match) {
return this.resource("records", { path: "/" }, function() {
return this.route("date", { path: "/:date_loaded" });
});
});
App.RecordsController = Ember.ArrayController.extend({
selected: 0,
dates: Ember.computed(function() {
return App.Date.find();
}).property()
});
App.RecordsIndexRoute = Ember.Route.extend({
model: function() {
this.controllerFor("records").set("selected", 0);
return App.Record.find();
}
});
App.RecordsDateRoute = Ember.Route.extend({
model: function(params) {
//the controllerFor below seems to be working great ... but what about needs?
this.controllerFor("records").set("selected", params.date_loaded);
return App.Date.create({ loaded: params.date_loaded });
}
});

Answer 1

With rc2, instances of other controllers can be retrieved via "controllers.controllerName", in you case it would be this.get('controllers.records').
The "needs" declaration makes the referencing controller sort of import the reference to the other controller; in your case, the date controller would be:
App.RecordsDateRoute = Ember.Route.extend({
needs: ['records'],
model: function(params) {
this.get("controllers.records").set("selected", params.date_loaded);
return App.Date.create({ loaded: params.date_loaded });
}
});
Regarding App.Record.find(new Date(model.loaded)), find() expects an id or an object whose keys and values will be used to filter the collection of models, but you're giving it a Javascript date.
Did you mean App.Record.find(new App.Date(model.loaded)), or maybe something like App.Record.find({ loaded: model.loaded }) /* assuming it's already a Date */?
There is also an initController(controller, model) method in the route called , maybe you could use that instead of "overloading" the model() method with too many responsibilities. http://emberjs.com/api/classes/Ember.Route.html#method_setupController

Answer 2

I recently upgraded to RC2 and realized that "needs" has replaced or will soon replace controllerFor.
To access another controller from route hooks you should continue to use controllerFor. Controller.needs is for communication between controllers, it replaces the now deprecated use of controllerFor method on controllers. AFAIK there is no plan to deprecate controllerFor on ember Routes.
I'm curious how I can use "needs" in the below situation where I need the nested / inner route for "records.date" to change the content for the parent "records" route when a date is selected.
For this use case it would be best to stick with controllerFor. It is possible to use needs this way, by specifying that App.RecordsDateController needs = ['records'] you could access the records controller via controller.get('controllers.records') from within your route's setupController hook.
What is missing from below is that inside the App.RecordsDateRoute I need to change the content of the "records" controller to be a new filter (by date this time) and everything I seem to do just dumps the handlebars template and show nothing -even when I try to use something simple like this.controllerFor("records").set('content', App.Record.find(new Date(model.loaded))) from within the setupController method of the RecordsDateRoute
App.RecordsDateRoute = Ember.Route.extend({
model: function(params) {
return App.Date.create({ loaded: params.date_loaded });
},
setupController: function(controller, model) {
var recordsController = this.controllerFor("records");
// Moved this from model hook, since here you are 'setting up a controller'
recordsController.set("selected", model.date_loaded);
// Set query based on current route's model
var query = { loaded: model.loaded };
recordsController.set("content", App.Record.find(query));
}
});