Forms
Carol Wolf
Computer Science
The Controller
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To create a controller, type
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This creates a controller called pizza_controller.rb.
Two routes in routes.rb:
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rails generate controller pizza index order
“get pizza/index” and
“get pizza/order”.
The second one will have to be changed to a post.
 “post pizza/order”
Two ERB files in views/pizza
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index.html.erb
order.html.erb
Example: Pizzeria
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An order form for pizza will be used as an example to
show different kinds of buttons.
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radio buttons
select drop-down boxes
check boxes
date and time boxes
text areas
text fields
Each will have a place in the form on the index page, code
in the controller to access the data and an output section
on the response page, order.html.erb.
The Basic Form
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The basic form has a name and action. The method is
determined by the corresponding route in routes.rb.
It has a number of places for inputting data and a submit
button.
The following comes from a pizzeria example.
<%= form_for :pizza, :url => {:action => :order} do |form| %>
…
<p>
<%= form.submit "Select your pizza order." %>
</p>
<% end %>
The index page
Radio Buttons
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Radio buttons are used when only one answer may be given.
The erb code in the index file:
<%= form.label :crust %>:
<%= form.radio_button :crust, Plain White' %>
<%= form.label :plain_white %>
<%= form.radio_button :crust, 'Whole Wheat' %>
<%= form.label :whole_wheat %>
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The controller code that receives the data:
@params = params[:pizza]
@crust = @params[:crust]
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The output code on the response page:
<h3>The crust is <%= @crust %>.</h3>
Select Drop-down Boxes
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The index page code:
<%= form.label :size %>:
<%= form.select :size, {:Small => "small", :Large => "large"} %>
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The controller code:
@size = @params[:size]
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The response page code:
<h3>The size is <%= @size %>.</h3>
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The name of the parameter is size.
The values that will be stored in the drop down box are listed
in a hash. The one selected will be sent in the parameters
hash.
Check Boxes – Index page code
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Check boxes allow the user to make several choices.
<%= form.label 'toppings' %>:
<%= form.check_box :mushrooms %>
<%= form.label :mushrooms %>
<%= form.check_box :pepperoni %>
<%= form.label :pepperoni %>
<%= form.check_box :vegetables %>
<%= form.label :vegetables %>
Check Boxes – Controller code
@toppings = Array.new
if @params[:mushrooms] == "1"
@toppings << "Mushrooms"
end
if @params[:pepperoni] == "1"
@toppings << "Pepperoni"
end
if @params[:vegetables] == "1"
@toppings << "Vegetables"
end
Check Boxes – Response page code
<h3>The toppings you chose are:
<ul>
<% @toppings.each do |topping| %>
<li><%= topping %></li>
<% end %>
</ul>
</h3>
Date and Time Boxes
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The date and time boxes provide drop-down boxes with all the months,
about 10 years, 31 days, 24 hours and 60 minutes.
Index file code:
<%= form.label :delivery_date %>
<%= form.date_select(:delivery_date) %>
<%= form.label :delivery_time %>:
<%= form.time_select :delivery_time %>
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Controller code:
@delivery_year = @params["delivery_date(1i)"]
@delivery_month = @params["delivery_date(2i)"]
@delivery_day = @params["delivery_date(3i)"]
@delivery_hour = @params["delivery_time(4i)"]
@delivery_minute = @params["delivery_time(5i)"]
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Response page code:
The delivery date is
<%= @delivery_month %>/<%= @delivery_day %>/<%= @delivery_year %>,
and the delivery time is <%= @delivery_hour %>:<%= @delivery_minute %>.
Text areas
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Text areas are used to collect a section of text. They are
sent to the controller as a string with lines separated by
“\r\n”.
The index code:
<%= form.label :address, :style => 'float: left' %>
<%= form.text_area :address, :rows => 3, :cols => 40 %>
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The controller code:
@address = @params[:address]
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The response page code:
<h3>The address is <%= @address %>.</h3>
Text Fields
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Text fields are probably used the most. The consist of a
single box where users can type in data.
The index page code:
<%= form.label :telephone %>
<%= form.text_field :telephone %>
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The controller code:
@telephone = @params[:telephone]
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The response page code:
<h3>The telephone number is <%= @telephone %>.</h3>
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Link to return to index page:
<%= link_to “Back” pizza_order_path %>
The Response Page – order.html.erb