# \[Rails 2.3\] nested\_attributes and validation of nested model

**URL:** <https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/rails-2-3-nested-attributes-and-validation-of-nested-model/170678>\
**Category:** Rails\
**Created:** [June 20, 2009, 11:33pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/rails-2-3-nested-attributes-and-validation-of-nested-model/170678 "2009-06-20T23:33:03Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![lis2](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/l/54ee81/32.png) [@lis2](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/lis2)\
**Post date:** [June 20, 2009, 11:33pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/rails-2-3-nested-attributes-and-validation-of-nested-model/170678/1 "2009-06-20T23:33:03Z")

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Hi,

I’m using nested models to create form in my view. It looks like this:

\<% form\_for :user, :url =\> {:action =\> “add\_owner” }, :html =\> {  
:method =\> :post } do |u| %\>

- Name: \<%= u.text\_field :name %\>
- Surname: \<%= u.text\_field :surname %\>

\<% u.fields\_for :agency\_owner\_attributes do |ao| %\>

- Agency name: \<%= ao.text\_field :name %\>
- Address: \<%= ao.text\_field :address %\>
\<% end %\>

\<% end %\>

Both models: User and AgencyOwner:

class User \< ActiveRecord::Base  
has\_one :agency\_owner  
accepts\_nested\_attributes\_for :agency\_owner  
validates\_associated :agency\_owner

# - validation here -

end

class AgencyOwner \< ActiveRecord::Base  
belongs\_to :user, :class\_name =\> “User”, :foreign\_key =\> “user\_id”

# - validation here -

end

Controller:

def add\_owner  
@user = User.new(params[:user])  
@user.save  
end

The problem:  
The whole idea of nested models is working. I can create two objects  
(user and agency\_owner) at once. When I display error\_messages\_for  
‘user’ I get validation errors for both models (User and AgencyOwner) -  
it’s working very well. But “fieldWithErrors”

 is shown only for  
fields from User model, so It’s impossible for highlight all error  
fields from nested model. Do you have any idea how to fix it?

thanks for help