Question

I have created an input form for orders whereby I select an client as follows:

<div class="field">  
  <%= f.label :client_short, "Client Code Short" %><br />
  <%= f.collection_select(:client_short, Client.order(:shortname), :shortname, :shortname)%>
</div>

Another column of the Clientis the column fullname. Now I want to retrieve and display in a non-editable textfield the value of the fullname based on the shortname for validation during the order entry.

I have no idea were to start so can somebody help me with an example please?

Answer 1

Use javascript for this kind of task. I will make an example with pure jQuery and javascript, not using coffescript. Open up your client.js (former client.js.coffee, just rename it), and add an change event to your list, displaying the full name on another field:

$(function() {
  $('#list_id').change(function() {
    var client_id = $(this).val();
    $.get('/clients/get_fullname', client_id, function() { });
  });
});

Now you, have to create a action on your controller name get_fullname, that respond to javascript. Maybe something like this:

def get_fullname
  @full_name = Client.find(params[:client_id]).fullname
  respond_to |format|
    format.js
  end
end

Now you create a get_fullname.js.erb file on your /views folder that displays the name on the uneditable field:

$('#uneditable_field_id').val("<%= @item %>")

Just check some minor typos and syntax errors and you are good to go.
Remember that this is just one way of many to do something like this.