Rails - May 2006 - How do you make in_place_edit fields appear when empty?

Here''s a simple one...

When using in_place_edit fields, they don''t appear unless they already
have a value.  How can I get similar functionality when they are empty?

Thanks,
Nathan
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Well, since I got a clamoring response to this question, I thought I would post
what I did back to the list.  Maybe my hair-brained answer will evoke some
better solutions ;-)
 
The jist of it is that I query the contents of each field, and when empty put in
a default value (my choice was a "?").  That shows the user that a
value is needed and alows in_place_edit to show the field.
 
In the order view, with shipping point as the example field...
 
<% if @order.shippingpoint.empty? %>
    <%= @order.shippingpoint = "?" %>
<% end %>
<%= in_place_editor_field :order, :shippingpoint %>
 
I would really like to see something that doesn''t involve custom code
for each field or putting garbage data in the field as a default value.  I am no
Javascript expert (obviously).  Maybe there is a nice solution using Javascript
helpers, etc.?
 
Nathan

-----Original Message-----
From: rails-bounces@lists.rubyonrails.org
[mailto:rails-bounces@lists.rubyonrails.org]On Behalf Of Nathan Leach
Sent: Thursday, May 11, 2006 10:12 AM
To: rails@lists.rubyonrails.org
Subject: [Rails] How do you make in_place_edit fields appear when empty?



Here''s a simple one... 

When using in_place_edit fields, they don''t appear unless they already
have a value.  How can I get similar functionality when they are empty?

Thanks, 
Nathan 

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See http://wiki.script.aculo.us/scriptaculous/show/Ajax.InPlaceEditor
near the bottom there''s a section called:
     "Small extension to editor to add a text in case field is empty."

Nathan Leach wrote:
> Well, since I got a clamoring response to this question, I thought I 
> would post what I did back to the list.  Maybe my hair-brained answer 
> will evoke some better solutions ;-)
>  
> The jist of it is that I query the contents of each field, and when 
> empty put in a default value (my choice was a "?").  That shows
the
> user that a value is needed and alows in_place_edit to show the field.
>  
> In the order view, with shipping point as the example field...
>  
> <% if @order.shippingpoint.empty? %>
>     <%= @order.shippingpoint = "?" %>
> <% end %>
> <%= in_place_editor_field :order, :shippingpoint %>
>  
> I would really like to see something that doesn''t involve custom
code
> for each field or putting garbage data in the field as a default 
> value.  I am no Javascript expert (obviously).  Maybe there is a nice 
> solution using Javascript helpers, etc.? 
>  
> Nathan
>
>     -----Original Message-----
>     *From:* rails-bounces@lists.rubyonrails.org
>     [mailto:rails-bounces@lists.rubyonrails.org]*On Behalf Of *Nathan
>     Leach
>     *Sent:* Thursday, May 11, 2006 10:12 AM
>     *To:* rails@lists.rubyonrails.org
>     *Subject:* [Rails] How do you make in_place_edit fields appear
>     when empty?
>
>     Here''s a simple one...
>
>     When using in_place_edit fields, they don''t appear unless they
>     already have a value.  How can I get similar functionality when
>     they are empty?
>
>     Thanks,
>     Nathan
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
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