Rails form multiple checkboxes for associated model

Question

I'm creating an application where a "submission" can be made using a form which creates client details and allows "referrals" to be created depending on the branch(es) that can provide the required service

class Submission < ActiveRecord::Base
  has_many :referrals, :inverse_of => :submission, dependent: :delete_all
  accepts_nested_attributes_for :referrals, :allow_destroy => true
end

class Referral < ActiveRecord::Base
  belongs_to :submission
end

class Branch < ActiveRecord::Base
  has_many :referrals
end

Submissions controller:

def new
  @submission = Submission.new
  @submission.build_client
  @submission.client.build_address
  @submission.referrals.build
end

def submission_params
  params.require(:submission).permit(:consent, :user_id, client_attributes:
    [:client_id, :first_name,
      address_attributes:
        [:first_line, :second_line,]
    ],
    referrals_attributes:
      [:branch_id]
  )
end

The Submission form:

<%= form_for(@submission) do |f| %>
  <%= f.fields_for :referrals do |referral| %>
    <%= render 'referral_fields', f: referral %>
  <% end %>
<% end %>

_referral_fields.html.erb:

    <% Branch.all.where(referrable: true).each do |branch| %>
       <label>
          <%= check_box_tag 'branch_ids[]', branch.id %>
          <%= branch.name %>
       </label>
    <% end %>

What I want is to have checkboxes for each referrable branch. When a branch is ticked and the submission is created, a referral will be created for that branch. However, when I submit the form, I get a validation error of "Referrals can't be blank". Any idea why this is not working?

Any help is most appreciated

Try changing <%= check_box_tag 'branch_ids[]', branch.id %> to <%= f.check_box 'branch_id', branch.id %> — Pavan
– Pavan, Commented Feb 10, 2016 at 12:29
Sorry didnt fully get your changes. I'm getting "undefined method `merge' for 1:Fixnum" — Craig
– Craig, Commented Feb 10, 2016 at 12:32

max · Accepted Answer · 2016-02-10 13:22:06Z

3

Use collection_check_boxes.

<% # _referral_fields.html.erb %>
<%= f.collection_check_boxes(:branch_ids, Branch.where(referrable: true), :id, :name) do |b|
  b.label { b.check_box } # wraps check box in label
end %>

You would need to whitelist submission[referrals_attributes][branch_ids] - not branch_id.

def submission_params
  params.require(:submission)
    .permit(
      :consent, 
      :user_id, 
      client_attributes: [
        :client_id, 
        :first_name,
        address_attributes: [
          :first_line, :second_line,
        ]
    ],
    referrals_attributes: [:branch_ids]
  )
end

Edited.

However for this to work you need to setup a relation between Referral and Branch. In this case you could use either a has_and_belongs_to_many (HABTM) or has_many though: (HMT) relationship.

See Choosing Between has_many :through and has_and_belongs_to_many.

class Referral < ActiveRecord::Base
  belongs_to :submission
  has_and_belongs_to_many :branches
end

class Branch < ActiveRecord::Base
  has_and_belongs_to_many :referrals
end

You need to create a join table as well:

rails g migration CreateBranchReferralJoinTable branch referral

edited Feb 10, 2016 at 13:22

answered Feb 10, 2016 at 12:43

max

103k15 gold badges113 silver badges177 bronze badges

Sign up to request clarification or add additional context in comments.

10 Comments

Craig Over a year ago

I get "undefined method `branch_ids' for #<Referral:0x007f33d537cbb0>"

max Over a year ago

Ah, its because you need to create a relation between Referral and Branch.

Craig Over a year ago

I already have that. branch has many referrals and referral belongs to branch

max Over a year ago

Yeah, but that won't work unless referral can have only one branch - and in that case you should not use a multiple checkboxes.

max Over a year ago

You see in the first case you putting .branch_id on the referrals table - with makes it one-to-many - what you need is a many-to-many relationship.

|

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

Rails form multiple checkboxes for associated model

1 Answer 1

Edited.

10 Comments

Your Answer

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

1 Answer 1

Edited.

10 Comments

Your Answer

Sign up or log in

Post as a guest

Related