Rails - May 2006 - multiple checkbox values, convert to string, 1 db field

Basically what I''m trying to do is create a way for users to enter 
"keywords" that will then be searchable.  I.e., when a user creates a 
new Item, there is also a keywords field in the database that is a 
string like "purple triangle free" -- but all the user sees when they 
are creating the keywords is a series of checkboxes like:
__blue
__red
__purple
__circle
__triangle
__square
__free
__not-free

And then the controller (?) would receive those checkbox values, 
concatenate them together, and stick them in the database.  Doesn''t 
sound too terribly difficult.  But... I can''t get it.  I try using the 
check_box form helper, setting the variable to "item" and the
attribute
to "keywords[]" (to create an array of checkbox values) but that
doesn''t
work because ActiveRecord knows that the database field is called 
keywords, not keywords[], and so I can''t even get the "Create
Item" page
to load without an method error.  I''ve also tried using a select box 
(less preferable) and can''t get that to work, either.  I suppose I
could
use JavaScript to string each checkbox value together in a hidden field 
onSubmit, but that seems really inelegant and awkward.

I apologize if this is a really stupid question; I''m a complete newbie 
to Ruby on Rails (background in PHP)... I love it so far but it is 
frustrating in situations like this where I know exactly how to do it in 
PHP but am baffled in Ruby.  :-\

Any help is much appreciated!

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

The check_box form helper will be bound to an active record field - you 
probably want plain ol'' checkboxes.  There is a form helper for this 
too: check_box_tag.

Then you can probably do something like this in the controller method:

@mymodel = MyModel.find(params[:id])
selected_keywords = params[:selected_keywords]
@mymodel.keywords = keywords.join(" ")
@mymodel.save

This is untested code so i may be way off :0)

Steve

Julie Fuller wrote:
> Basically what I''m trying to do is create a way for users to enter
> "keywords" that will then be searchable.  I.e., when a user
creates a
> new Item, there is also a keywords field in the database that is a 
> string like "purple triangle free" -- but all the user sees when
they
> are creating the keywords is a series of checkboxes like:
> __blue
> __red
> __purple
> __circle
> __triangle
> __square
> __free
> __not-free
> 
> And then the controller (?) would receive those checkbox values, 
> concatenate them together, and stick them in the database. 
Doesn''t
> sound too terribly difficult.  But... I can''t get it.  I try using
the
> check_box form helper, setting the variable to "item" and the
attribute
> to "keywords[]" (to create an array of checkbox values) but that
doesn''t
> work because ActiveRecord knows that the database field is called 
> keywords, not keywords[], and so I can''t even get the "Create
Item" page
> to load without an method error.  I''ve also tried using a select
box
> (less preferable) and can''t get that to work, either.  I suppose I
could
> use JavaScript to string each checkbox value together in a hidden field 
> onSubmit, but that seems really inelegant and awkward.
> 
> I apologize if this is a really stupid question; I''m a complete
newbie
> to Ruby on Rails (background in PHP)... I love it so far but it is 
> frustrating in situations like this where I know exactly how to do it in 
> PHP but am baffled in Ruby.  :-\
> 
> Any help is much appreciated!
>

Here''s what I tried (different combinations of these):

CONTROLLER (other two lines are already there):

        selected_keywords = params[:selected_keywords[]]
        @item.keywords = selected_keywords.join(" ")
OR
        selected_keywords = params[:selected_keywords]
        @item.keywords = selected_keywords.join(" ")

VIEW:

        <%=
#check_box_tag(''item[selected_keywords][]'',"wrap")
%>
OR
        <input id="item_selected_keywords" 
name="item[selected_keywords][]"
        type="checkbox" value="wrap" />
OR
        <%=
#check_box_tag(''item[selected_keywords]'',"wrap")
%>
OR
        <input id="item_selected_keywords" 
name="item[selected_keywords]"
        type="checkbox" value="wrap" />
OR
        <input id="item[selected_keywords]" 
name="item[selected_keywords]"
        type="checkbox" value="wrap" />
OR
        <%=
#check_box_tag(''item'',"selected_keywords",{},{:value
=>
''wrap''}) %>

And none of these work.  Maybe I''m misunderstanding you?  I always get 
an undefined method error for selected_keywords, if not on the page 
itself, then on the processing page.  Thanks for the help.

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

Argh. I am so sorry.  It did work.

For anyone else who googles this problem in the future and finds nothing 
as I did, here''s the precise thing that works:

Controller:

        selected_keywords = params[:selected_keywords]
        @item.keywords = selected_keywords.join(" ")

View (as many times as needed):

        <input id="item_selected_keywords"
name="selected_keywords[]"
        type="checkbox" value="exterior" />

Thanks for the help!

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