text_field instead of a collection_select

[eugenio]

one of my model belongs_to another (zip codes).
i would like to let the user insert the zip code in a text field
instead of the select menu generated by the collection_select.
No new zip code should be created and the code should be validated (it
should be in the list of valid code).
How can this be achieved?

[Philip Hallstrom]

You want an auto completing text field. There are some plugins out
there that can do this and associate it to the other model
automatically. Here's one:

http://model-ac.rubyforge.org/svn/trunk/vendor/plugins/model_auto_completer

You can also roll your own using a prototype/jquery auto completing
plugin...

-philip

[Erol Fornoles]

You might want to check out:

http://github.com/Erol/nested_reference

Assuming your models were Person and ZipCode, and ZipCode has a field
called 'code':

class Person
belongs_to :zip_code
validates_presence_of :zip_code, :message => 'Zip Code can't be
empty or was not found in the list of valid codes.'

accepts_nested_reference_and_attributes_for :zip_code, :code, :required
=> true
end

View:

form_for @person do |p|
p.text_field :name
p.fields_for :zip_code |zc|
zc.text_field :code
end
end

Controller:

person.update_attributes(:person) # Nothing special needs to be done.
person.zip_code_id will be set depending on the zip code the user
filled in.

You can add auto-completion in your view. I'd recommend jQuery
Autocomplete.

Hope this helps,

[Erol Fornoles]

Sorry for the garbled code. Here's a pastie link instead:

http://www.pastie.org/801584

[eugenio]

i tried the plugin you suggested, which seems exactly what i'm looking
for.
but i got stuck:

my user model has this line
belongs_to :cap_residenza, :class_name => 'Cap'
and i added

accepts_nested_reference_and_attributes_for :cap_residenza, :codice, :required
=> true

in the form view i added this:
<% f.fields_for :cap_residenza do |fr| %>
<%= fr.label :cap %>
<%= fr.text_field :codice %>
<% end %>
but nothing appears. if i change 'cap_residenza' with anything else
the form shows up correctly (but it doesn't work, everything else is
looking for cap_residenza i suppose).
what am i missing?

thank you

[Erol Fornoles]

Does it work if you remove the
accepts_nested_reference_and_attributes_for line? If no, could you
send the models and form snippets (with the form_for block) as a
pastie?