Advice on validation

Rails
1

Hello all,

Currently I am having a controller with several actions. A client
perform some kind of wizard to create a persisted object
(ActiveRecord). So step1, step2, step3 and finally saves the object to
DB in step 4. Each step takes ask for a couple of info from the client
which is part of the end persisted object. Basically it follows the
logic below:

step1 -> name, address
step2 -> validate address against a third party site
step3 -> email and other info
step4 -> saves all the above information to DB

Each step correspond to an action. All the 4 steps are in the same
controller. Step2 depends on step1 thus the wizard type process.

I built the above and it is working like a charm. However, I am
wondering about validation. I want to use ActiveRecord validation.
What would you suggest? Javascript for each step + ACtiveRecord
validation at step4 that would redirect to an “edit” page which would
contain all 4 steps in 1 “edit” action? I will probably go for that
but was wondering if anybody had any suggestion to produce a
validation mechanism per step.

Thanks,
Carl

2

def my_action

return unless request.post?

case params[:stage]

    when '1'

        session[:my_record] = Model.new(params[:model])

        if not session[:my_record].valid?

            flash[:notice] = "Invalid name" if

session[:my_record].errors.invalid?(:name)
flash[:notice] = “Invalid address” if
session[:my_record].errors.invalid?(:address)

        end

    when '2'

        return unless session[:my_record]

        if not MyThirdPartyValidation.valid_something

(params[:model][:something])
session[:my_record].errors.add :something, “is invalid.”
else
session[:my_record][:something] =
params[:model][:something]
end

end

end

No perfect as it’ll validates every column for each stage you call
valid?,
I’m not sure of a better method in my current tired state :slight_smile:

Be sure your code can handle a malicious user skipping stages, i.e the
return unless session[:my_record] stuff.

3

Validate using AR and the :if option. E.g.,

validates_presence_of :foo, :if => Proc.new(|wizard| wizard.step > 1)

Note that the wizard parameter passed into the block is the instance of
your
model class, so the model itself needs to understand what step it is on.

HTH

Carl-Gustaf H. wrote:

What would you suggest? Javascript for each step + ACtiveRecord

–
View this message in context:
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4

hi there,

just curious, how did you solve your problem?

I want to do something similar, say User model, use it for registration
(new users) and profile update (existing users).

I ask new users for terms, passowrds, email etc. when one is updating
his profile I don’t want him to change password from the “my profile”
page (have special page to change password) and don’t want him to accept
terms one more time (this one is easy, :on => ‘create’ helps) but what
about other fields, should I use 2 models - User, UserPassword?

any advice on this one?

what happends with db record when User.password is nil?

Thanks

Carl-Gustaf H. wrote:

Hello all,

Currently I am having a controller with several actions. A client
perform some kind of wizard to create a persisted object
(ActiveRecord). So step1, step2, step3 and finally saves the object to
DB in step 4. Each step takes ask for a couple of info from the client
which is part of the end persisted object. Basically it follows the
logic below:

step1 -> name, address
step2 -> validate address against a third party site
step3 -> email and other info
step4 -> saves all the above information to DB

Each step correspond to an action. All the 4 steps are in the same
controller. Step2 depends on step1 thus the wizard type process.

I built the above and it is working like a charm. However, I am
wondering about validation. I want to use ActiveRecord validation.
What would you suggest? Javascript for each step + ACtiveRecord
validation at step4 that would redirect to an “edit” page which would
contain all 4 steps in 1 “edit” action? I will probably go for that
but was wondering if anybody had any suggestion to produce a
validation mechanism per step.

Thanks,
Carl