Array field custom input

[Cam Allen]

Hi,

I am trying to add a Mongoid array field to simple form. Currently it renders the array as a string "[ data, other_data ]" which is then sent back to the controller as a string not an array. 

I want to add my own custom input to render each input as it's own field with overridden input names. 

I am trying to implement a solution like this:

http://www.funonrails.com/2012/01/mongoid-array-field-and-rails-form.html

E.g. if the instance name is "test" and the array field name is "test_array" i want the each array item to have an input name such as "test[array][]".

I can't figure out how to override the attribute name unless i manually construct the "name" and override it in the html input options.

Any thoughts about how i can achieve this without hacking?

Thoughts appreciated.

cam

[Rafael Mendonça França]

The name generation is did by the Rails itself and as far I remember is not easy to extend the behavior without hacking.

Some related code:

https://github.com/rails/rails/blob/3-2-stable/actionpack/lib/action_view/helpers/form_helper.rb#L1045

https://github.com/rails/rails/blob/3-2-stable/actionpack/lib/action_view/helpers/form_helper.rb#L1199-1212

The best way is manually construct the name.

Rafael Mendonça França
http://twitter.com/rafaelfranca
https://github.com/rafaelfranca

[Cam Allen]

Rafael - Thanks for the prompt reply!

I thought as much but wanted to know if there was any simple form magic I could use.

I've tested and it works well. The array fields are reconstructed back in the controller params hash under the attribute field as an array of vales. I've created a gist outlining my solution: https://gist.github.com/3795872

Cheers again.

Cam

[Rafael Mendonça França]

Great! Thank to sharing the solution.

Rafael Mendonça França
http://twitter.com/rafaelfranca
https://github.com/rafaelfranca

[Cam Allen]

Further to this if like me you use mongoid hash and array fields in a document, then you may need a custom simple form hash input which rails will reconstruct into an attribute hash in the controller. 

If so then i've added a gist, hopefully it's useful.

https://gist.github.com/3803552

You just need to loop over the hash whilst setting the input HTML to have the required values (note i use the key as my field label here):

hash.each do |key, value|

  form_builder.input(field, :as => :hash, :input_html => { value: value, key: key }, :label => key)

end

Cheers,

Cam

[William Franklin]

Very good! How do I change to make it work in the type collection fields?

[Cam Allen]

The above gists were used to construct N text inputs from mongodb array / hash document fields.

I'm not following you question..can you provide some more details?

[William Franklin]

Hello Cam, I would add array-type fields collection ...

https://github.com/plataformatec/simple_form#collections

[Cam Allen]

Can't you just pass an array into the collection? Just construct the array values that you want.

From the docs..

f.input :country_id, collection: @continents, as: :grouped_select, group_method: :countries