Editing Multiple Models in One Form (Page 3 of 4)

You've saved me a lot of grief! But I've run into a bit of a problem.
I have two models: @entity and @comment. Each entity can have 0 or more comments (has_many), but each comment can have only one entity (belongs_to).
I used the following edit controller:
    def update
        @entity = Entity.find(params["id"])
        @entity.attributes = params[:entity]
        @entity.comments.each { |c| c.attributes = params[:comment][c.id.to_s]}
        @comment = @entity.comments.build(params[:comment])
       
        if @entity.valid? && @entity.comments.all?(&:valid?)
            @entity.save!
            @entity.comments.each(&:save!)
            flash[:notice] = "Entity updated."
            redirect_to :action => 'show', :id => @entity
        else
            render :action => 'edit'
        end
    end

And the following rhtml:
<% for @comment in @entity.comments %>
<%= error_messages_for :comment %>
    <label for="comment"><%= @comment.commenttype.name %>
        <div>
    <% fields_for "comment[]" do |c| %>
            <%= c.hidden_field :commenttype_id %>
            <%= c.text_area :commenttext, {"cols" => 50, "rows" => 20, "wrap" => "virtual"} %>
    <% end %>
        </div>
    </label>
<% end %>

But I get the following error:
undefined method `1=' for #<Comment:0x4a27d7c>

The parameters are as follows:
Parameters: {"entity"=>{"zip"=>"60606", "cell"=>"", "url1"=>"", "url2"=>"", "middlename"=>"", "firstname"=>"Byron", "lastname"=>"Jones", "id"=>"1", "entitytype_id"=>"1", "fax"=>"", "phone"=>"773-555-5465", "city_id"=>"1", "state_id"=>"1"}, "template"=>{"id"=>"1"}, "id"=>"1", "entitysubtype"=>{"id"=>"1"}, "entity_address1"=>"1234 Wisteria Lane", "entity_address2"=>"", "comment"=>{"1"=>{"id"=>"1", "commenttext"=>"Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee!", "commenttype_id"=>"1"}}}

If you notice, the comment hash has a '"1"=>' key in it, which I think may be the source of the problem, but I'm too much of a noob to be sure. Any and all help will be appreciated.

Same error, with these parms:
Parameters: {"entity"=>{"zip"=>"60606", "cell"=>"", "url1"=>"", "url2"=>"", "middlename"=>"", "firstname"=>"Byron", "lastname"=>"Jones", "id"=>"1", "entitytype_id"=>"1", "fax"=>"", "phone"=>"773-555-5465", "city_id"=>"1", "state_id"=>"1"}, "template"=>{"id"=>"2"}, "id"=>"1", "entitysubtype"=>{"id"=>"1"}, "entity_address1"=>"1234 Wisteria Lane", "entity_address2"=>"", "comment"=>{"1"=>{"commenttext"=>"Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee!", "commenttype_id"=>"1"}}}

Sure. Full trace follows:

D:/InstantRails/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/activerecord-1.15.3/lib/active_record/base.rb:1857:in `method_missing'
D:/InstantRails/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/activerecord-1.15.3/lib/active_record/base.rb:1672:in `send'
D:/InstantRails/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/activerecord-1.15.3/lib/active_record/base.rb:1672:in `attributes='
D:/InstantRails/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/activerecord-1.15.3/lib/active_record/base.rb:1671:in `each'
D:/InstantRails/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/activerecord-1.15.3/lib/active_record/base.rb:1671:in `attributes='
D:/InstantRails/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/activerecord-1.15.3/lib/active_record/base.rb:1505:in `initialize_without_callbacks'
D:/InstantRails/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/activerecord-1.15.3/lib/active_record/callbacks.rb:225:in `initialize'
D:/InstantRails/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/activerecord-1.15.3/lib/active_record/associations/has_many_association.rb:13:in `new'
D:/InstantRails/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/activerecord-1.15.3/lib/active_record/associations/has_many_association.rb:13:in `build'
#{RAILS_ROOT}/app/controllers/entity_controller.rb:37:in `update'
D:/InstantRails/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-1.13.3/lib/action_controller/base.rb:1095:in `send'
D:/InstantRails/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-1.13.3/lib/action_controller/base.rb:1095:in `perform_action_without_filters'
D:/InstantRails/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-1.13.3/lib/action_controller/filters.rb:632:in `call_filter'
D:/InstantRails/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-1.13.3/lib/action_controller/filters.rb:638:in `call_filter'
D:/InstantRails/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-1.13.3/lib/action_controller/filters.rb:438:in `call'
D:/InstantRails/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-1.13.3/lib/action_controller/filters.rb:637:in `call_filter'
D:/InstantRails/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-1.13.3/lib/action_controller/filters.rb:619:in `perform_action_without_benchmark'
D:/InstantRails/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-1.13.3/lib/action_controller/benchmarking.rb:66:in `perform_action_without_rescue'
D:/InstantRails/ruby/lib/ruby/1.8/benchmark.rb:293:in `measure'
D:/InstantRails/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-1.13.3/lib/action_controller/benchmarking.rb:66:in `perform_action_without_rescue'
D:/InstantRails/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-1.13.3/lib/action_controller/rescue.rb:83:in `perform_action'
D:/InstantRails/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-1.13.3/lib/action_controller/base.rb:430:in `send'
D:/InstantRails/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-1.13.3/lib/action_controller/base.rb:430:in `process_without_filters'
D:/InstantRails/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-1.13.3/lib/action_controller/filters.rb:624:in `process_without_session_management_support'
D:/InstantRails/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-1.13.3/lib/action_controller/session_management.rb:114:in `process'
D:/InstantRails/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-1.13.3/lib/action_controller/base.rb:330:in `process'
D:/InstantRails/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/rails-1.2.3/lib/dispatcher.rb:41:in `dispatch'
D:/InstantRails/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/mongrel-1.0.1-mswin32/lib/mongrel/rails.rb:78:in `process'
D:/InstantRails/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/mongrel-1.0.1-mswin32/lib/mongrel/rails.rb:76:in `synchronize'
D:/InstantRails/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/mongrel-1.0.1-mswin32/lib/mongrel/rails.rb:76:in `process'
D:/InstantRails/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/mongrel-1.0.1-mswin32/lib/mongrel.rb:618:in `process_client'
D:/InstantRails/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/mongrel-1.0.1-mswin32/lib/mongrel.rb:617:in `each'
D:/InstantRails/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/mongrel-1.0.1-mswin32/lib/mongrel.rb:617:in `process_client'
D:/InstantRails/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/mongrel-1.0.1-mswin32/lib/mongrel.rb:736:in `run'
D:/InstantRails/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/mongrel-1.0.1-mswin32/lib/mongrel.rb:736:in `initialize'
D:/InstantRails/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/mongrel-1.0.1-mswin32/lib/mongrel.rb:736:in `new'
D:/InstantRails/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/mongrel-1.0.1-mswin32/lib/mongrel.rb:736:in `run'
D:/InstantRails/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/mongrel-1.0.1-mswin32/lib/mongrel.rb:720:in `initialize'
D:/InstantRails/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/mongrel-1.0.1-mswin32/lib/mongrel.rb:720:in `new'
D:/InstantRails/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/mongrel-1.0.1-mswin32/lib/mongrel.rb:720:in `run'
D:/InstantRails/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/mongrel-1.0.1-mswin32/lib/mongrel/configurator.rb:271:in `run'
D:/InstantRails/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/mongrel-1.0.1-mswin32/lib/mongrel/configurator.rb:270:in `each'
D:/InstantRails/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/mongrel-1.0.1-mswin32/lib/mongrel/configurator.rb:270:in `run'
D:/InstantRails/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/mongrel-1.0.1-mswin32/bin/mongrel_rails:127:in `run'
D:/InstantRails/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/mongrel-1.0.1-mswin32/lib/mongrel/command.rb:211:in `run'
D:/InstantRails/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/mongrel-1.0.1-mswin32/bin/mongrel_rails:243
D:/InstantRails/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/activesupport-1.4.2/lib/active_support/dependencies.rb:488:in `load'
D:/InstantRails/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/activesupport-1.4.2/lib/active_support/dependencies.rb:488:in `load'
D:/InstantRails/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/activesupport-1.4.2/lib/active_support/dependencies.rb:342:in `new_constants_in'
D:/InstantRails/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/activesupport-1.4.2/lib/active_support/dependencies.rb:488:in `load'
D:/InstantRails/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/rails-1.2.3/lib/commands/servers/mongrel.rb:60
D:/InstantRails/ruby/lib/ruby/site_ruby/1.8/rubygems/custom_require.rb:27:in `gem_original_require'
D:/InstantRails/ruby/lib/ruby/site_ruby/1.8/rubygems/custom_require.rb:27:in `require'
D:/InstantRails/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/activesupport-1.4.2/lib/active_support/dependencies.rb:495:in `require'
D:/InstantRails/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/activesupport-1.4.2/lib/active_support/dependencies.rb:342:in `new_constants_in'
D:/InstantRails/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/activesupport-1.4.2/lib/active_support/dependencies.rb:495:in `require'
D:/InstantRails/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/rails-1.2.3/lib/commands/server.rb:39
D:/InstantRails/ruby/lib/ruby/site_ruby/1.8/rubygems/custom_require.rb:27:in `gem_original_require'
D:/InstantRails/ruby/lib/ruby/site_ruby/1.8/rubygems/custom_require.rb:27:in `require'
script/server:3

The problem is this line:

@comment = @entity.comments.build(params[:comment])

Not sure what you're doing here, but params[:comment] is a hash of all the other submitted comments. Not just one.

So you're trying to create comments and edit them in the same form? This tutorial only supports editing multiple comments. Creating them in the same form is worthy of its own tutorial which someday I may get around to writing...

I don't see why you're calling comments.build then. This will create a new comment. Try just removing that line and see if everything works.

Does this method work for 3 models?

I have the following view:

  <% form_for :question, :url => { :action => 'create' } do |f| %>
  <% f.text_field :name %>
  <% f.text_area :description %>
<div id="options">
  <label>Options:</label>
  <!-- Needs to be ajaxified-->
  <% question.options.each_with_index do |option, index|%>
    <% fields_for "options[#{index}]", option do |f| %>
      <p><%= f.text_field :name, :size => 20 %></p>
    <% end %>
  <% end %>
</div>
<div id="factors">
  <label>Factors:</label>
  <!-- Needs to be ajaxified-->
  <% question.factors.each_with_index do |factor, index|%>
    <% fields_for "factors[#{index}]", factor do |f| %>
      <p><%= f.text_field :name, :size => 20 %></p>
    <% end %>
  <% end %>
</div>

Without factors it works fine, but putting factors into the form leads to rails putting both options and factors into the Option model, and neither into the Factor model.

Any thoughts?

Thanks

Hi Ryan... an awesome guideline you have painted through this article.

I am very new to Rails, and have following structure to take care of to update 2 models with one form.

:user and :user_profile.

User Model
class User < ActiveRecord::Base
has_one :user_profile
end

UserProfile Model
class UserProfile < ActiveRecord::Base
  belongs_to :user
  belongs_to :country
  belongs_to :community
  belongs_to :occupation
end

------------------------------The VIEW
          <div>
<% form_for :user do |form|%>
  <%= error_messages_for :user %>
  <table width="80%" border="0" align="center" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0">
    <tr>
    <td width="25%" align="left"><strong>Maiden&nbsp;Last&nbsp;Name&nbsp;:</strong></td>
    <td><%= form.text_field :maiden_last_name %></td>
    </tr>
   
    <tr>
    <td width="25%" align="left"><strong>Birth Date :</strong></td>
    <td><%= form.date_select :birth_date, :start_year => 1940 %></td>
    </tr>

    <tr>
    <td width="25%" align="left"><strong>Maritial Status</strong></td>
    <td><%= form.check_box :married %></td>
    </tr>
   
    <tr>
    <td align="left"><strong>Occupation&nbsp:</strong></td>
    <td><label>
    <%=  collection_select :user, :occupation_id, Occupation.find(:all), :id, :occupation,    {:prompt => true} %>
      </label></td>
    </tr>

      <tr>
      <td align="left"><strong>Community&nbsp:</strong></td>
      <td><label>
       <%=  collection_select :user, :community_id, Community.find(:all), :id, :name, {:prompt => true} %>
            </label></td>
    </tr>

     <tr>
     <td width="25%" align="left"><strong>Marriage&nbsp;Anniversary&nbsp;Date&nbsp;:</strong></td>
     <td><%= form.date_select :marriage_anniversary_date, :start_year => 1940 %></td>
     </tr>
     
     
<tr>
<td><label>
<%= submit_tag "Join", :class => "button1" %>
</label></td>
</tr>
</table>
<% end%>
</div>

#user_controller, tellusmore action is called
#with provided :id=>@user.id, from previous page submit
...which saves few entries of both "users" and "user_profiles" tables.
#-----------------------And this is the Controller
def tellusmore
    if request.post? and params[:user]
     
      @user = User.find(params[:id], :include=>"user_profile")
      @user_profile=UserProfile.new
     
      @community = Community.find_by_id(params[:user_profile][:community_id])
      @user_profile.community_id = @community.id
      @occupation = Occupation.find_by_id(params[:user_profile][:occupation_id])
      @user_profile.occupation_id = @occupation.id
 
     
      @user.user_profile = @user_profile
     
       if @user.save
         flash[:notice]= "Step Over"
         redirect_to :action=>'login'
       else
         @user.reset_form_password
      end
    end
  end

    Please help me save these entries, into users and user_profiles using the single template.........tellusmore

Out of these -
married, maiden_last_name, birth_date belong to users table rest belongs to user_profiles table.

There is one more issue I am facing after updating

I changed my update function like this:

  def update
    @project = Project.find(params[:id])
    @project.attributes = params[:project]
    @project.agreementfile.attributes = params[:agreementfile]

    respond_to do |format|
      if @project.valid? && @project.agreementfile.valid
        @project.save!
        @project.agreementfile.save!
        flash[:notice] = 'Project was successfully updated.'
        format.html { redirect_to(@project) }
        format.xml  { head yikesk }
      else
        format.html { render :action => "edit" }
        format.xml  { render :xml => @project.errors, :status => :unprocessable_entity }
      end
    end
  end

but when I do update it says
Unknown action
No action responded to 1

Please let me know what I am doing wrong in update function