Rails - Jun 2006 - How do YOU read/update HABTM?

In my mind, it should work like this:

<%= select ''item'',
  ''category_ids'',
  Category.find(:all).collect {|c| [c.name, c.id] },
  {},
  {:multiple=>true, :size=>20} %>

Then Rails should automatically populate and update HABTM on that. As it 
is now, the above won''t work (I created a getter in item''s
model that
returns an array of category_ids) because category_ids isn''t an array. 
Also, as it is now, to work with HABTM, I have to use select_tag (with 
category_ids[] name), get the category_ids manually, then do 
''@item.category_ids = params[:category_ids]''. Isn''t
there a simpler way?
My suggestion above seems like The Way It Should Be.

Joe

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

I use check boxes:

<% Category.find(:all).each do |category|%>
  <%= check_box_tag("item[category_ids][]",
                                item.id,
                                @item.categories.include?(category)) %>
<% end %>

As far as i''m aware (and i think my example indicates this), you can 
just set category_ids on your ''item'' object and it''ll
update on save.
In fact, you should just be able to do this:

@item = Item.find(params[:id])
@item.update_attributes(params[:item])

It''ll automagically pick up category_ids as the values for the join 
table.

Hope that helps,

Steve


Joe wrote:
> In my mind, it should work like this:
> 
> <%= select ''item'',
>   ''category_ids'',
>   Category.find(:all).collect {|c| [c.name, c.id] },
>   {},
>   {:multiple=>true, :size=>20} %>
> 
> Then Rails should automatically populate and update HABTM on that. As it 
> is now, the above won''t work (I created a getter in
item''s model that
> returns an array of category_ids) because category_ids isn''t an
array.
> Also, as it is now, to work with HABTM, I have to use select_tag (with 
> category_ids[] name), get the category_ids manually, then do 
> ''@item.category_ids = params[:category_ids]''.
Isn''t there a simpler way?
> My suggestion above seems like The Way It Should Be.
> 
> Joe

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