Question

I’ve posted about this problem before, but I still haven’t found a solution so I’m hoping I’ll have better luck this time.

I have a form that takes inputted data by the user. In another page, I am creating the identical form that the user has populated (pre-filled with that information) for editing purposes. Users will come to this page to EDIT the information they have already put in. My problem is that it isn’t overwriting the instance.

def edit(request):

   a = request.session.get('a',  None)

   if a is None:
       raise Http404('a was not found')

   if request.method == 'POST':
       form = Name_Form(request.POST, instance=a)
       if form.is_valid():
           j = form.save( commit=False )
           j.save()
   else:
       form = Name_Form( instance = a )

For this form, I’m using “unique_together” for some of the values. I’m also calling on `{{ form.non_field_errors }} in the template.

What is happening is when I make changes in the editing view, if the fields changes involves those defined in “unique_together” then an error is returned telling me that the instance already exists. Otherwise it saves a new instance. It isn’t OVERWRITING.

Note that the reason i am using unique_together is that I want to prevent users from initially inputting the same form twice (before the editing stage, in the initial inputting view).

Any ideas?

EDIT: note that “a” refers to a session that includes a drop down box of all the available instances. This carried forward will indicate which instance the user wants to edit.
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Answer 1

Why not do a database lookup of the model your trying to save and pull the fields from the form to the model then save the model?