How change text_field to select_tag?

[akenateb]

Hello all, this is my first post in ruby forums.
Im starting to learn ruby language.

I've made this form

<!--[form:contract]-->
<p><label for="contract_total">Total</label><br/>
<&#37;= text_field 'contract', 'total'  %></p>

<p><label for="contract_arrival">Arrival</label><br/>
<%= date_select 'contract', 'arrival'  %></p>

<p><label for="contract_departure">Departure</label><br/>
<%= date_select 'contract', 'departure'  %></p>

<p><label for="contract_adults">Adults</label><br/>
<%= text_field 'contract', 'adults'  %></p>

<p><label for="contract_children">Children</label><br/>
<%= text_field 'contract', 'children'  %></p>

<p><label for="contract_pending">Pending</label><br/>
<%= text_field 'contract', 'pending'  %> Pending indicates if total or minimum amount has been payed.<br>
<b>0</b>= total amount payed.<br>
<b>1</b>= minimum amount payed.</p>
<p><label for="contract_children">Un/Confirmed</label><br/>
<%= text_field 'contract', 'unconfirmed'  %></p> Confirmed indicates if customer has payed some.<br>
<b>0</b>= Yes, customer has payed.<br>
<b>1</b>= No, customer has not payed nothing.</p>
<!--[eoform:contract]-->

I dont want users can write into text fields, i would need they can select a numer of list (1-15). I've been reading about it and maybe i could use select_tag, but i dont know how change text_field to a "combo_box"?

How could i do it?

Thanks in advance.
R3g@rd$

[realmadrid2727]

You mean, like, select(object, method, choices, options = {}, html_options = {})

[ReggieB]

As realmadrid2727 indicates, changing to a select drop down box is quite easy, and the information about the syntax of the 'select' method is available on the RoR api page. Have a look here:
http://api.rubyonrails.com/classes/A...r.html#M001752

The problem is where do you get your list/array of options!

One way is to create a model to contain the items being selected and store them in the database. This is great if the list is large or being changed a lot. For example a list of products.

However, if the list is small and is unlikely to change (or you don't want it to change) I think there is a better way: define it in your model.

For example, in your set up I'd do this:

In the contract model I'd add:

NUMBERS_OF_PEOPLE = (0..15).to_a

def self.numbers_of_people
  NUMBERS_OF_PEOPLE
end

In the controller method I'd add

  @numbers_of_people = Contract.numbers_of_people

Then in the form partial:

<p><label for="contract_adults">Adults</label><br/>
<&#37;= select 'contract', 'adults', @numbers_of_people.collect {|p| p,p} -%></p>

<p><label for="contract_children">Children</label><br/>
<%= select 'contract', 'children', @numbers_of_people.collect {|p| p,p}  %></p>

The advantages of doing it this way is that there are:

• a single easy to find place where the numbers can be changed. You change it in one place and the whole application is updated automatically.
• The array of available options is made available to other input systems. All they have to do is look-up Contract.numbers_of_people.
• It makes the array of available options accessible to the model and therefore they can be used easily in model methods such as Contract.numbers_of_people:

In the Contract model:

  validates_inclusion_of :children, :in => NUMBERS_OF_PEOPLE
  validates_inclusion_of :adults, :in => NUMBERS_OF_PEOPLE