Rails - Feb 2010 - Controller won't accept a variable number of inputs...

I’m using Prototype to allow the user to add form fields dynamically.
However, each field is the same model over and over again (think of it
as allowing the user to create a lot of Blog posts at once).  So I’m
unable to use accepts_nested_attributes_for, since each blog is its
own row in the database.  No biggie though because I’m able to give
each blog its own ID using javascript and the getTime function.

But, I can’t figure out how to get my Blog controller to accept these
new dynamically generated form fields.  I’m using each_with_index to
properly create unique ID’s for each blog (I know there are newer
ways, but can’t seem to get those to work, and anyway, I don’t think
that’s the problem).

Currently, I have:
  def new
    @blogs = Array.new(1) {Blog.new}
  end

  def create
    @blogs = params[:blogs].values.collect { |blog|
current_user.blogs.build(blog) }
    if @blogs.all?(&:valid?)
      @blogs.each(&:save!)
      redirect_to user_profile_path(current_user.username)
    else
      render :action => ''new''
    end
  end

This produces one blog entry form by default, and when I submit it, it
gets added perfectly.  (If I increase the default to 3 or something,
all those get submitted as well). However, the ones I add using my
Javascript do not.  The javacript ID’s are formatted correctly and
everything is correct when I inspect them in Firebug,  but these new
fields are not submitted with the form.

What am I doing wrong?
Is it because I’m limiting the array to 1? but allowing the user to
add more?  Is there a way to allow Array to accept any and all, but
only display 1 by default?

Any ideas on this are seriously appreciated.

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On Feb 16, 3:32 am, AlwaysCharging
<goodg...-Re5JQEeQqe8AvxtiuMwx3w@public.gmane.org> wrote:
> What am I doing wrong?
> Is it because I’m limiting the array to 1? but allowing the user to
> add more?  Is there a way to allow Array to accept any and all, but
> only display 1 by default?
new Array(1) just means create an array initially containing 1 object
(nil). There aren''t ever any restrictions on how many items you can
stick in an array (besides if the problem is with javascript created
form elements then problem is happening long after the array stopped
being relevant. What does the javascript to add the form fields look
like? How have you confirmed that the extra fields have not been
submitted ?

Fred

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Thank you Frederick for clearing that up for me.  So I guess the
problem is in my Views?

Here’s the Javascript to add more fields:
<%= add_object_link ''Add Another Blog'',
''tasks'', :partial => ''blogs''
%>

‘tasks’ is only the div id
And here’s the helper

  def add_object_link(name, where, render_options)
    html = render(render_options)
    link_to_function name, %{
      Element.insert(''#{where}'', #{html.to_json}.replace(/
index_to_replace_with_js/g, new Date().getTime()));
    }
  end

and finally the partial
<% @blogs.each do |blog| %>
	<% fields_for "blogs", blog, :index =>
"index_to_replace_with_js" do |
f| %>
		<%= f.error_messages %>
			<%= render :partial => "form", :locals => { :f => f }
%>
<% end %>
<% end %>
The actual form fields in the partial named “form” are just your
typical f.label and f.text_field entry stuff.
>“How have you confirmed that the extra fields have not been submitted ?”
By submitting the form manually and looking at the logs.  Only the
first one gets added, or however many I set in the Array through the
controller.  None of the Javascript added fields get added, although
their html is formatted correctly.  It’s like it doesn’t even see
them.

So, I removed the fields in the view set by the Array, so there were
no fields and only the “Add Another Blog” link was present.  I then
added 1 form via the javascript and clicked on Submit.  This is the
error I get:
undefined method `values'' for nil:NilClass

C:/Ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/activesupport-2.3.5/lib/active_support/
whiny_nil.rb:52:in `method_missing''
C:/Rails/AppName/app/controllers/blogs_controller.rb:9:in `create''

So you’re right, the problem isn’t with my controller, but my form.  I
think the Javascript is correct, but I’m doing something funky with
form.  This is the “new” view that sets the number of default fields
according to the number in the Array.
<% form_tag :action => ''create'' do %>
	<% @blogs.each_with_index do |blog, index| %>
		<% fields_for "blogs[#{index}]", blog do |f| %>
				<%= f.error_messages %>
			<%= render :partial => "form", :locals => { :f => f }
%>

Maybe the problem is with the form_tag :action => ''create''
do line?
I’m really not sure, but any more insight into this is greatly
thanked.


On Feb 16, 4:05 am, Frederick Cheung
<frederick.che...-Re5JQEeQqe8AvxtiuMwx3w@public.gmane.org>
wrote:
> On Feb 16, 3:32 am, AlwaysCharging
<goodg...-Re5JQEeQqe8AvxtiuMwx3w@public.gmane.org> wrote:
>
> > What am I doing wrong?
> > Is it because I’m limiting the array to 1? but allowing the user to
> > add more?  Is there a way to allow Array to accept any and all, but
> > only display 1 by default?
>
> new Array(1) just means create an array initially containing 1 object
> (nil). There aren''t ever any restrictions on how many items you
can
> stick in an array (besides if the problem is with javascript created
> form elements then problem is happening long after the array stopped
> being relevant. What does the javascript to add the form fields look
> like? How have you confirmed that the extra fields have not been
> submitted ?
>
> Fred
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Oh my god, I found out what I was doing wrong:
I had the
<div id="tasks">
BEFORE the form_tag in the views, it should have gone afterward.

So it now looks like this:
<% form_tag :action => ''create'' do %>
<div id="tasks">
	<% @blogs.each_with_index do |blog, index| %>

Doesn''t always come down to something so simple?

Anyway, thanks again Frederick, much appreciated.


On Feb 16, 6:41 pm, AlwaysCharging
<goodg...-Re5JQEeQqe8AvxtiuMwx3w@public.gmane.org>
wrote:
> Thank you Frederick for clearing that up for me.  So I guess the
> problem is in my Views?
>
> Here’s the Javascript to add more fields:
> <%= add_object_link ''Add Another Blog'',
''tasks'', :partial => ''blogs''
> %>
>
> ‘tasks’ is only the div id
> And here’s the helper
>
>   def add_object_link(name, where, render_options)
>     html = render(render_options)
>     link_to_function name, %{
>       Element.insert(''#{where}'',
#{html.to_json}.replace(/
> index_to_replace_with_js/g, new Date().getTime()));
>     }
>   end
>
> and finally the partial
> <% @blogs.each do |blog| %>
>         <% fields_for "blogs", blog, :index =>
"index_to_replace_with_js" do |
> f| %>
>                 <%= f.error_messages %>
>                         <%= render :partial => "form",
:locals => { :f => f } %>
> <% end %>
> <% end %>
> The actual form fields in the partial named “form” are just your
> typical f.label and f.text_field entry stuff.
>
> >“How have you confirmed that the extra fields have not been submitted
?”
>
> By submitting the form manually and looking at the logs.  Only the
> first one gets added, or however many I set in the Array through the
> controller.  None of the Javascript added fields get added, although
> their html is formatted correctly.  It’s like it doesn’t even see
> them.
>
> So, I removed the fields in the view set by the Array, so there were
> no fields and only the “Add Another Blog” link was present.  I then
> added 1 form via the javascript and clicked on Submit.  This is the
> error I get:
> undefined method `values'' for nil:NilClass
>
> C:/Ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/activesupport-2.3.5/lib/active_support/
> whiny_nil.rb:52:in `method_missing''
> C:/Rails/AppName/app/controllers/blogs_controller.rb:9:in `create''
>
> So you’re right, the problem isn’t with my controller, but my form.  I
> think the Javascript is correct, but I’m doing something funky with
> form.  This is the “new” view that sets the number of default fields
> according to the number in the Array.
> <% form_tag :action => ''create'' do %>
>         <% @blogs.each_with_index do |blog, index| %>
>                 <% fields_for "blogs[#{index}]", blog do |f|
%>
>                                 <%= f.error_messages %>
>                         <%= render :partial => "form",
:locals => { :f => f } %>
>
> Maybe the problem is with the form_tag :action =>
''create'' do line?
> I’m really not sure, but any more insight into this is greatly
> thanked.
>
> On Feb 16, 4:05 am, Frederick Cheung
<frederick.che...-Re5JQEeQqe8AvxtiuMwx3w@public.gmane.org>
> wrote:
>
> > On Feb 16, 3:32 am, AlwaysCharging
<goodg...-Re5JQEeQqe8AvxtiuMwx3w@public.gmane.org> wrote:
>
> > > What am I doing wrong?
> > > Is it because I’m limiting the array to 1? but allowing the user
to
> > > add more?  Is there a way to allow Array to accept any and all,
but
> > > only display 1 by default?
>
> > new Array(1) just means create an array initially containing 1 object
> > (nil). There aren''t ever any restrictions on how many items
you can
> > stick in an array (besides if the problem is with javascript created
> > form elements then problem is happening long after the array stopped
> > being relevant. What does the javascript to add the form fields look
> > like? How have you confirmed that the extra fields have not been
> > submitted ?
>
> > Fred
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