Question

I have a nested user registration form. I’d like to insert data for 3 models. User, Store and Preference. The relationships are a User has_many :stores and has_one :preference.

The problem I’m having is that the hidden fields don’t show up in my view. Am I not using @user.restaurants.build and @user.build_preference correctly?

Here’s my models:

class User < ActiveRecord::Base
  attr_accessible :email, :full_name, :password, :password_confirmation
  has_secure_password

  validates_uniqueness_of :email
  validates_presence_of :full_name

  has_many :stores, :dependent => :destroy
  has_one :preference, :dependent => :destroy

  accepts_nested_attributes_for :stores
  accepts_nested_attributes_for :preference
end

class Store < ActiveRecord::Base
  attr_accessible  :name, :tagline, :address, :city, :postal, :state, :phone, :hours, :user_id

  belongs_to :user
end

class Preference < ActiveRecord::Base
  attr_accessible :background_fill, :background_position, :body_color, :body_font, :body_size, :heading_color, :heading_font, :heading_size, :layout, :link_color, :logo_color, :logo_size, :logo_font

  belongs_to :user
end

My UsersController:

class UsersController < ApplicationController

def new
  @user = User.new
  @user.stores.build
  @user.build_preference
end

My View:

<%= form_for @user do |f| %>
  <% if @user.errors.any? %>
  <div class="error_messages">
    <h2>There was an error!</h2>
    <ul>
      <% @user.errors.full_message.each do |message| %>
        <li><%= message %></li>
      <% end %>
    </ul>
  </div>
  <% end %>
  <%= f.label :full_name %>
  <%= f.text_field :full_name, :class => "target", :placeholder => "Your full name", :maxlength => "55", :autofocus => "autofocus" %>
  <%= f.label :email %>
  <%= f.email_field :email, :class => "target", :placeholder => "[e-mail]", :maxlength => "55" %>
  <%= f.label :password %>
  <%= f.password_field :password, :class => "target", :placeholder => "Enter a password", :maxlength => "55" %>
  <%= f.label :password_confirmation, "Confirmation" %>
  <%= f.password_field :password_confirmation, :class => "target", :placeholder => "Enter your password again", :maxlength => "55" %>
  <% f.fields_for :stores do |builder| %>
    <%= builder.hidden_field :name, value: params[:name] %>
    <%= builder.hidden_field :tagline, value: params[:tagline] %>
    <%= builder.hidden_field :address, value: params[:address] %>
    <%= builder.hidden_field :city, value: params[:city] %>
    <%= builder.hidden_field :state, value: params[:state] %>
    <%= builder.hidden_field :postal, value: params[:postal] %>
    <%= builder.hidden_field :phone, value: params[:phone] %>
    <%= builder.hidden_field :hours, value: params[:hours] %>
  <% end %>
  <% f.fields_for :preference do |builder| %>
    <%= builder.hidden_field :layout, value: params[:layout] %>
    <%= builder.hidden_field :background_fill, value: params[:background_fill] %>
    <%= builder.hidden_field :background_position, value: params[:background_position] %>
  <% end %>
  <%= f.submit "Create an Account for Free", :class => "button cta" %>
<% end %>

Also, if it’s any help, I’m trying to follow this tutorial on Railscast: http://railscasts.com/episodes/196-nested-model-form-part-1

Thanks!

Answer 1

<% f.fields_for :preference do |builder| %>

This needs to be

<%= f.fields_for :preference do |builder| %>

The same goes for your other calls to f.fields_for.

Source: The API