Rails - Apr 2006 - How to validate optional fieldset which becomes mandatory?

Hi,

I am posting here because a re-read of my ''Agile'' book and
quick google
around didn''t give me any obvious clues, but I apologise if this has
already been asked and answered before...

I have an ''invoice address'' fieldset in a form which is
entirely optional,
however, should the user fill any one of the fields then they effectively
all become mandatory and I need to validate the presence of the required
fields (I need to make sure that at least the first line of address, city
and zip are filled).

What is the best way to do this? I am new to Rails and still finding my
feet but I appreciate that there is probably more than one way of
approaching this?

TIA,

Matt.

Matthew Law wrote:
> Hi,
> 
> I am posting here because a re-read of my ''Agile'' book
and quick google
> around didn''t give me any obvious clues, but I apologise if this
has
> already been asked and answered before...
> 
> I have an ''invoice address'' fieldset in a form which is
entirely
> optional,
> however, should the user fill any one of the fields then they 
> effectively
> all become mandatory and I need to validate the presence of the required
> fields (I need to make sure that at least the first line of address, 
> city
> and zip are filled).
> 
> What is the best way to do this? I am new to Rails and still finding my
> feet but I appreciate that there is probably more than one way of
> approaching this?
> 
> TIA,
> 
> Matt.
AWDW page 267 describes the "validate" method, where you can put any 
custom validations that don''t fit the higher-level validations
provided.

So you can do this:

class Invoice < ActiveRecord::Base
  def validate
    if address or city or zip
      errors.add_to_base("You must specify address, city and zip for 
this invoice") unless (address and city and zip)
    end
  end
end

That''s a rough idea of how you could do it.  Hope it helps!

Jeff

-- 
Posted via http://www.ruby-forum.com/.

I addition to Jeff''s advise, I would put address in separate
table/class
where all kinds of addresses go. So you will have a link from your 
Invoice to the Address, as BillingAddress, ShipAddress etc. This will 
also allow to use standard validators.

-- 
Posted via http://www.ruby-forum.com/.

> I addition to Jeff''s advise, I would put address in separate
table/class
> where all kinds of addresses go. So you will have a link from your
> Invoice to the Address, as BillingAddress, ShipAddress etc. This will
> also allow to use standard validators.
Thanks guys.  That was the push I needed to get it working and a big
"D''oh!" for not realising I should be using validate to get
this done.

Thanks!