Rails - Dec 2006 - How to update partial attributes of a object from a form?

I have a user table, and it has forty columns, including name, gender,
address, email, phone...
So my @user object will have forty attributes.
I divide these attributes into 4 groups... namely ''general
info'',
''personal info'', ''contact info''... and I
make separate forms to edit
these 4 different group attributes.

The problem is when I update one group of attributes using:
@user.update_attributes(params[:user])
now, because the params[:user] hash only contains partial attributes
that @user has, so this can''t work.

now, i use
    @user.update_attribute(:address, params[:user][:address])
    @user.update_attribute(:city, params[:user][:city])
    @user.update_attribute(:state, params[:user][:state])
    @user.update_attribute(:zip_code, params[:user][:zip_code])
    @user.update_attribute(:country, params[:user][:country])
    @user.update_attribute(:phone, params[:user][:phone])
    @user.update_attribute(:phone_alt, params[:user][:phone_alt])
which seem like a mess.

any other solution?

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Nanyang Zhan wrote:
> The problem is when I update one group of attributes using:
> @user.update_attributes(params[:user])
> now, because the params[:user] hash only contains partial attributes
> that @user has, so this can''t work.
update_attributes does not require all attributes to be in the hash you
pass to it.  It will just update whatever attributes you provide and
leave the others alone.

Jeff
softiesonrails.com


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On Dec 8, 2006, at 9:23 AM, Nanyang Zhan wrote:
> I have a user table, and it has forty columns, including name, gender,
> address, email, phone...
> So my @user object will have forty attributes.
> I divide these attributes into 4 groups... namely ''general
info'',
> ''personal info'', ''contact info''... and
I make separate forms to edit
> these 4 different group attributes.
>
> The problem is when I update one group of attributes using:
> @user.update_attributes(params[:user])
> now, because the params[:user] hash only contains partial attributes
> that @user has, so this can''t work.
>
> now, i use
>     @user.update_attribute(:address, params[:user][:address])
>     @user.update_attribute(:city, params[:user][:city])
>     @user.update_attribute(:state, params[:user][:state])
>     @user.update_attribute(:zip_code, params[:user][:zip_code])
>     @user.update_attribute(:country, params[:user][:country])
>     @user.update_attribute(:phone, params[:user][:phone])
>     @user.update_attribute(:phone_alt, params[:user][:phone_alt])
> which seem like a mess.
>
> any other solution?
params[:user].each do |attr,value|
   @user.write_attribute(attr, value)
end
@user.save


Rob Biedenharn		http://agileconsultingllc.com
Rob-xa9cJyRlE0mWcWVYNo9pwxS2lgjeYSpx@public.gmane.org




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What I don''t understand is why Rails writes the whole row when you call
update_attributes. Why can''t it just update the attributes that you
pass
in? Any enlightenment on this?

Jeff wrote:
> Nanyang Zhan wrote:
>   
>> The problem is when I update one group of attributes using:
>> @user.update_attributes(params[:user])
>> now, because the params[:user] hash only contains partial attributes
>> that @user has, so this can''t work.
>>     
>
> update_attributes does not require all attributes to be in the hash you
> pass to it.  It will just update whatever attributes you provide and
> leave the others alone.
>
> Jeff
> softiesonrails.com
>
>
> >
>
>   

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Thanks, Rob Biedenharn. I may need your code.

Jeff Cohen, You are right.
My code didn''t work just because there were validations requiring 
attributes that current form didn''t contain.

I need these validations, but I still want to create attributes from 
different forms.
If I delete these validations in User Model, I will need to add my own 
validating judging codes into Controller''s actions, which may bring
much
more lines.
How can I keep these smart Rails Validations?

Jeff Cohen wrote:
> update_attributes does not require all attributes to be in the hash you
> pass to it.  It will just update whatever attributes you provide and
> leave the others alone.

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Nanyang I would suggest locking down the possible validation modes  
inside your model.

Thus, add a validation instance method like
''strict_validation'', and
then key on this inside the validation checks.

validates_presence_of :city, :if => Proc.new {|model| ! 
model.strict_validation?}

and in your controller,

my_model = Model.new
my_model.strict_validation = true

....

keeping the controller thin, and standardizing the models operation.

(the above is pretty loose code, but hopefully demonstrates the idea)

Cheers,
Jodi
General Partner
The nNovation Group inc.
www.nnovation.ca/blog


On 8-Dec-06, at 10:23 AM, Nanyang Zhan wrote:
>
> Thanks, Rob Biedenharn. I may need your code.
>
> Jeff Cohen, You are right.
> My code didn''t work just because there were validations requiring
> attributes that current form didn''t contain.
>
> I need these validations, but I still want to create attributes from
> different forms.
> If I delete these validations in User Model, I will need to add my own
> validating judging codes into Controller''s actions, which may
bring
> much
> more lines.
> How can I keep these smart Rails Validations?
>
> Jeff Cohen wrote:
>> update_attributes does not require all attributes to be in the  
>> hash you
>> pass to it.  It will just update whatever attributes you provide and
>> leave the others alone.
>
>
> -- 
> Posted via http://www.ruby-forum.com/.
>
> >

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Jodi Showers wrote:
> keeping the controller thin, and standardizing the models operation.
Jodi, your idea is cool. I''ll note it down.
But now I don''t know how to write the code.

I use Rob''s code to Update_attribute instead of Update_attributeS. This
skip the validation.

but problem occured when the loop met a date_select attribute(S). This 
date attribute(S), which are made up of 3 select boxes, couldn''t be 
updated into @user.birthday.

now, i use
    params[:user].each do |attr,value|
      case attr
      when ''birthday(1i)''
        birthday = value
      when ''birthday(2i)''
        birthday += "-" + value
      when ''birthday(3i)''
        birthday += "-" + value
        @user.update_attribute(:birthday, birthday)
      else
        @user.update_attribute(attr, value)
      end
    end
    @user.save
to deal the problem. It looks BAD, though it works. How can I correct 
it?

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(Nanyang, I''ve read back through the thread, so I hope the following  
will work).

Basically you''ll want to set 3 varieties of validation. and within  
your User model you''ll an instance method to indicate the validation  
you require.

within the controller (you may need 1 controller per type of  
validation, or a way to figure out what validation method you''ll use):

user = User.new(params[:user])
user.set_validation(User::GENERAL_INFO) #see model below [or  
User::PERSONAL_INFO), User.set_validation(User::CONTACT_INFO]
if user.valid?
   user.save
else
   #deal with the validation error
end

and within your model, define the constants (validation methods,  
actual validations, et al.)

class Users < ActiveRecord::Base

validates_presence_of :city, :if => Proc.new {|model| ! model.  
contact_info_validation?}

   GENERAL_INFO = 1
   PERSONAL_INFO = 2
   CONTACT_INFO = 3

def set_validation(means)
   @validation_means = means
end

def contact_info_validation?
   @validation_means  == User::CONTACT_INFO
end

The above syntax isn''t tested, so take the approach run with it.

Note: others with more Ruby Fu may recommend better ways to manage  
constants (maybe as symbols), but this approach in general will scale  
your requirements well.

Cheers,
Jodi
General Partner
The nNovation Group inc.
www.nnovation.ca/blog

On 8-Dec-06, at 11:09 AM, Nanyang Zhan wrote:
>
> Jodi Showers wrote:
>
>> keeping the controller thin, and standardizing the models operation.
>
> Jodi, your idea is cool. I''ll note it down.
> But now I don''t know how to write the code.
>
> I use Rob''s code to Update_attribute instead of Update_attributeS.
> This
> skip the validation.
>
> but problem occured when the loop met a date_select attribute(S). This
> date attribute(S), which are made up of 3 select boxes, couldn''t
be
> updated into @user.birthday.
>
> now, i use
>     params[:user].each do |attr,value|
>       case attr
>       when ''birthday(1i)''
>         birthday = value
>       when ''birthday(2i)''
>         birthday += "-" + value
>       when ''birthday(3i)''
>         birthday += "-" + value
>         @user.update_attribute(:birthday, birthday)
>       else
>         @user.update_attribute(attr, value)
>       end
>     end
>     @user.save
> to deal the problem. It looks BAD, though it works. How can I correct
> it?
>
> -- 
> Posted via http://www.ruby-forum.com/.
>
> >

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Jodi, Thank you for your kindness and patience.
After reading some posts about validation, I understand your first post 
better.
Now you have just posted another one. With help of these, the work will 
be much easier.
Thanks again.

Jodi Showers wrote:
> (Nanyang, I''ve read back through the thread, so I hope the
following
> will work).
> 
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Rob Biedenharn wrote:
> 
> params[:user].each do |attr,value|
>    @user.write_attribute(attr, value)
> end
Borrowing from Rob''s idea, couldn''t you write your own
validate that
just validates things that are in the "params"?  I''m not set
up to look
at it right now, but doesn''t the params include all of the form items, 
but if there is no text in the form item the value of the param is empty 
or nil?

so write your own validate that does something like this:
params.each do |attr,value|
   errors.add(attr, "shouldn''t be empty") if value.blank?
end

This would seem like a good way to do it, if and only if I''m right
about
the params hash including items from the form that are blank.

jp

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