Rails - Aug 2006 - Creating new record from a form? (stringify_keys! error)

Appologies if this has been covered, But it seems the search is busted.

I have a simple model object "Biostat" which I am trying to add a new 
record to.

this is the form:

<%= form_remote_tag(
	    :update=>''statsTable'',
	    :url=>{:action=>''new''},
	    :html=> {:action=>''new'',
:method=>''post''},
	    :complete => "new
Effect.BlindUp(''admin-stats-panel'', {duration:
.25})")%>
	Date: <%= text_field_tag ''the_date'', @today, :size=>12
%>
	Height (in): <%= text_field_tag ''height'',
'''', :size=>5 %>
	Weight (lbs): <%= text_field_tag ''weight'',
'''', :size=>5 %>
       <%= submit_tag ''Save'' %>
<%=end_form_tag%>

and this is the "new" method:

  def new
    @today = Date.today

    if request.post? && (params[:the_date])
      @stat = Biostat.new(params[:the_date])
      @stat.weight = params[:weight]
      @stat.height = params[:height]


      if @stat.create
        flash[:notice] = "successfully saved"
      else
        flash[:notice] = "FAILED"
      end
    else
      render_partial ''newStatInfo''
    end
  end

When run I get " undefined method `stringify_keys!'' for "08 /
04 /
2006":String "

I''m pretty sure I''m not creating the record properly but I
thought is
was as simple as "Biostat.new"
the only condition is that ''data'' cannot be null.

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> @stat = Biostat.new(params[:the_date])
You want:

  @stat = BioStat.new(:date => params[:the_date])

the "new" method expects a hash, with the name of the columns as the 
key, and the value as the hash value.

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Alex Wayne wrote:
>> @stat = Biostat.new(params[:the_date])
> 
> You want:
> 
>   @stat = BioStat.new(:date => params[:the_date])
> 
> the "new" method expects a hash, with the name of the columns as
the
> key, and the value as the hash value.
This, unfortunately, yields:

    ActiveRecord::StatementInvalid (Mysql::Error: Column
''date'' cannot
be null: INSERT INTO biostats (`weight`, `date`, `height`) VALUES(0.0, 
NULL, 0.0)):

and if I try:
    @stat = Biostat.new(:date => params[:date], :weight => 
params[:weight], :height => params[:height])

I get:

    ActiveRecord::StatementInvalid (Mysql::Error: Column
''date'' cannot
be null: INSERT INTO biostats (`weight`, `date`, `height`) VALUES(NULL, 
NULL, NULL)):

even though in the log I see:
      Parameters: {"commit"=>"Save",
"date"=>"2006-08-04",
"action"=>"new",
"controller"=>"stats",
"stat"=>{"weight"=>"12",
"height"=>"34"}}

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Okay, so if I change the mysql field to ''varchar'' instead of
''date'' then
I don''t get any error.  So what do I have to do special for inserting 
into a ''date'' field?

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Todd S. wrote:
> Okay, so if I change the mysql field to ''varchar'' instead
of ''date'' then
> I don''t get any error.  So what do I have to do special for
inserting
> into a ''date'' field?
In your form use one of the helper methods from DateHelper to get user 
input like: 
http://api.rubyonrails.com/classes/ActionView/Helpers/DateHelper.html#M000469

When you provide user with text field to enter date you also have to 
parse this date manually to Time class instance. Then you can assign 
created Time instance to model field.

Providing user with text field for entering dates is rarely a good idea, 
unless you have written parser that deals with dates like
''tomorrow'' or
''next year''. That kind of input happens quite often. And when
you try to
force user to use some specific format (like yyyy/mm/dd) you usually get 
a very bad user expirience.

Cheers,
Bragi

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Good advice.  Thank you.

In the transition I find other problems with actually getting the date 
to be inserted correctly.

I''ve started another thread here ( 
http://www.ruby-forum.com/topic/76340#119128 ) for that
as it might help others to split up the issue.

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