Can't access AJAX controllers from cart page

Question

Followed this tutorial: http://www.atwix.com/magento/ajax-requests-in-magento/

Though dated, people seem to be using it just fine. I'm using Magento CE 1.9.0.1.

After creating app/code/local/MichaelHarper/Upseller/controllers/AjaxController.php:

<?php

// Filename app/code/local/MichaelHarper/Upseller/controllers/AjaxController.php

class MichaelHarper_Upseller_AjaxController extends Mage_Core_Controller_Front_Action {

    public function indexAction() {
        $this->loadLayout();
        $this->renderLayout();
    }
}

And app/code/local/MichaelHarper/Upseller/etc/config.xml:

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<config>
  <modules>
    <MichaelHarper_Upseller>
      <version>0.1.0</version>
    </MichaelHarper_Upseller>
  </modules>
  <frontend>
  <global>
     <blocks>
         <upseller>
              <class>MichaelHarper_Upseller_Block</class>
         </upseller>
      </blocks>
  </global>
    <routers>
      <upseller>
        <use>standard</use>
        <args>
          <module>MichaelHarper_Upseller</module>
          <frontName>upseller</frontName>
        </args>
      </upseller>
    </routers>
    <layout>
      <updates>
        <upseller>
          <file>ajaxlayout.xml</file>
        </upseller>
      </updates>
    </layout>

  </frontend>
</config>

I'm able to go to my local site with controller namespace without error and it loads my theme's header and footer (blank body): http://localstore.dev/upseller/ajax/index

I then create app/design/frontend/mytheme/default/layout/ajaxlayout.xml:

<upseller_ajax_index>
    <reference name="content">
        <block type="upseller/ajaxblock" name="root" template="upseller/default.phtml" />
    </reference>
</upseller_ajax_index>

And finally my template file app/design/frontend/mytheme/default/template/upseller/default.phtml:

<?php 
// app/design/frontend/mytheme/default/template/upseller/default.phtml
echo "Hello World";
?>

Not getting anything when I load my site URL with namespace - still empty body. Any idea what I'm doing wrong? Also, once I can get my Hello World working I have these two provided methods for calling this AJAX controller:

xmlhttp.open("GET","upseller/ajax/index/someval/"+value,true);

-or-

jQuery.post(“upseller/ajax/index”, {someval: value}, function(data){...});

But testing them in the console renders errors.

Answer 1

The name of the layout update handle is created from the node name, in your case upseller, therefore I would try upseller_ajax_index

Answer 2

try by adding output attribute:

   <block type="upseller/ajaxblock" name="root" output="toHtml"  template="upseller/default.phtml" />

Answer 3

If you aim is to simply show your block on the ajax request and no other content such as header and footer then your layout.xml should be as follows.

<upseller_ajax_index>
    <block type="upseller/ajaxblock" name="root" output="toHtml" template="upseller/default.phtml" />
</upseller_ajax_index>

The key part there is the output="toHtml" which will actually get your block to show.

A great example of ajax work with layout is the one page checkout. I would suggest looking into the file app/design/frontend/base/default/layout/checkout.xml for any more information.

Answer 4

Try

<upseller_ajax_index>
   <reference name="content">
     <block type="upseller/ajaxblock" name="upseller.ajaxblock" template="upseller/default.phtml" />
   </reference>
</upseller_ajax_index>

Please be more consistence with your module and file name