Rails - Jun 2010 - Parent model running validations on all existing children

In my application, a Language has many Phrases. Here is my code:

#language model
 has_many :phrases
 accepts_nested_attributes_for :phrases

#phrase model
 validates_presence_of :value
 belongs_to :language

#languages controller
 def edit
   @language = Language.find(params[:id])
   # Let''s say we only want to update some of the phrases (e.g. by
category, date, etc)
   @phrases = @language.phrases.all(:limit => 3)
 end

 def update
   @language = Language.find(params[:id])
   if @language.update_attributes(params[:language])
     flash[:notice] = "Successfully updated language."
     redirect_to edit_language_path(@language)
   else
     render :action => ''edit''
   end
 end

# project edit view
<% form_for @language do |f| %>
 <%= f.error_messages %>
 <p>
   <%= f.label :name %><br />
   <%= f.text_field :name %>
 </p>
 <% f.fields_for :phrases, @phrases do |phrases_form| %>
   <p>
     <%= phrases_form.label :value %>
     <%= phrases_form.text_field :value %>
   </p>
 <% end %>
 <p><%= f.submit %></p>
<% end %>

When I submit the form, if at least one of the phrases being saved is
an existing record, every single phrase corresponding to @language
will be validated, instead of running validations only in the three
phrases being updated. That problem isn''t present when all of the
phrases being saved are new records.
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I was expecting Rails to only validate the phrase that is being updated, 
here you can see it''s validating all of the existing phrases:

$ script/console
Loading development environment (Rails 2.3.5)
>> lang = Language.first
=> #<Language id: 1, name:
"Italiano">
>> lang.phrases
=> [#<Phrase id: 7, value: "Buona notte", language_id: 1>,
#<Phrase id: 10, value: "Ciao", language_id: 1>,
#<Phrase id: 11, value: "Prego", language_id: 1>]
>> lang.phrases_attributes = [{:id => "7", :value =>
"Buon giorno"}]
=> [{:value=>"Buon giorno",
:id=>"7"}]
>> lang.save
Validating: Buon giorno

Validating: Ciao

Validating: Prego

=> true

My models, again, now with the added "before_validation" callback:

class Language < ActiveRecord::Base
  has_many :phrases
  accepts_nested_attributes_for :phrases
end

class Phrase < ActiveRecord::Base
  validates_presence_of :value
  belongs_to :language
  def before_validation
    logger.debug "\nValidating: #{self.value}\n"
  end
end

Validating all phrases is a real problem in my app, as I have tens of 
thousands; Is there a way to avoid this?  Is this normal behavior for 
Rails?



Ruben Ascencio wrote:
> In my application, a Language has many Phrases. Here is my code:
> 
> #language model
>  has_many :phrases
>  accepts_nested_attributes_for :phrases
> 
> #phrase model
>  validates_presence_of :value
>  belongs_to :language
> 
> #languages controller
>  def edit
>    @language = Language.find(params[:id])
>    # Let''s say we only want to update some of the phrases (e.g. by
> category, date, etc)
>    @phrases = @language.phrases.all(:limit => 3)
>  end
> 
>  def update
>    @language = Language.find(params[:id])
>    if @language.update_attributes(params[:language])
>      flash[:notice] = "Successfully updated language."
>      redirect_to edit_language_path(@language)
>    else
>      render :action => ''edit''
>    end
>  end
> 
> # project edit view
> <% form_for @language do |f| %>
>  <%= f.error_messages %>
>  <p>
>    <%= f.label :name %><br />
>    <%= f.text_field :name %>
>  </p>
>  <% f.fields_for :phrases, @phrases do |phrases_form| %>
>    <p>
>      <%= phrases_form.label :value %>
>      <%= phrases_form.text_field :value %>
>    </p>
>  <% end %>
>  <p><%= f.submit %></p>
> <% end %>
> 
> When I submit the form, if at least one of the phrases being saved is
> an existing record, every single phrase corresponding to @language
> will be validated, instead of running validations only in the three
> phrases being updated. That problem isn''t present when all of the
> phrases being saved are new records.
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