Question

I am working on dynamic form generator. Someone can create fields like: string, text, boolean, number, file etc.

Are there any gems or guidelines for storing data from such dynamic forms?

I mean I can create a number of tables for each datatype, or I can store all of them as a TEXT with flag wich type it should be converted.

UPD

or I’d better use nosql here?

Answer 1

I believe Mongodb is a right choice for this application, since it doesn’t enforce any schema, its a good choice for arbitrary data.

As well, it does support all the datatype you have expected. so it is easy.

Have a form collection which looks like this (Ruby Mongoid code)

  class XForm
  include Mongoid::Document
  include Mongoid::Timestamps
  include Mongoid::Paranoia

       field :name, :type => String
       field :user, :type => BSON::ObjectId     

       embeds_many :formfields
  end

and

 class Formfields
  include Mongoid::Document

     field :name, :type => String
     field :kind, :type => String
     #field :value, :type => String -> dont add it in formfields, make it dynamic sine the type varies

  embedded_in :xform
  end

To add value field as a dynamic field, you need to enable allow_dynamic_fields: true in mongoid.yml

and create a new field like this

  form = XForm.new(:name=>'test form',:user => current_user.id)
   #for integer field
   form.formfields << Formfields.new(:name => "Age",:kind=>"Integer", :value => 21)
   #for bool field
   form.formfields << Formfields.new(:name => "isMarried",:kind=>"Boolean",:value => true)
   #for string field
   form.formfields << Formfields.new(:name => "name",:kind=>"String",:value => "ram")

Hope this helps