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author | Marcel Molina <marcel@vernix.org> | 2007-05-06 05:23:03 +0000 |
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committer | Marcel Molina <marcel@vernix.org> | 2007-05-06 05:23:03 +0000 |
commit | e4c5ddd83954a04be72f738f2f1c60739aacdd76 (patch) | |
tree | ba779f1e33bf9a6e99f51e49f11a67b1115bcda5 /actionpack/lib | |
parent | f02a0bf274da62e96c6986298294c23e6285e63c (diff) | |
download | rails-e4c5ddd83954a04be72f738f2f1c60739aacdd76.tar.gz rails-e4c5ddd83954a04be72f738f2f1c60739aacdd76.tar.bz2 rails-e4c5ddd83954a04be72f738f2f1c60739aacdd76.zip |
Modernize documentation for form helpers. Closes #8035. [jeremymcanally]
git-svn-id: http://svn-commit.rubyonrails.org/rails/trunk@6689 5ecf4fe2-1ee6-0310-87b1-e25e094e27de
Diffstat (limited to 'actionpack/lib')
-rw-r--r-- | actionpack/lib/action_view/helpers/form_helper.rb | 228 |
1 files changed, 147 insertions, 81 deletions
diff --git a/actionpack/lib/action_view/helpers/form_helper.rb b/actionpack/lib/action_view/helpers/form_helper.rb index 543f451a7f..3af7236b30 100644 --- a/actionpack/lib/action_view/helpers/form_helper.rb +++ b/actionpack/lib/action_view/helpers/form_helper.rb @@ -4,85 +4,65 @@ require 'action_view/helpers/tag_helper' module ActionView module Helpers - # Form helpers are designed to make working with models much easier than just standard html elements. These helpers - # provide a set of methods for creating forms based on your models. Each helper deals with a different type of data. - # Instead of creating the html elements manually, you ask the helpers to create the form element. When the form is - # submitted i.e. when the user hits the submit button, the form elements will be bundled into the params object and - # passed back to the controller. + # Form helpers are designed to make working with models much easier than just standard html elements by + # providing a set of methods for creating forms based on your models. This helper generates the HTML for forms, + # providing a method for each sort of input (e.g., text, password, select, and so on). When the form is + # submitted (i.e., when the user hits the submit button or <tt>form.submit</tt> is called via JavaScript), the form + # inputs will be bundled into the <tt>params</tt> object and passed back to the controller. # - # There are two types of form helper, those that specifically work with the attributes on models, and those that don't. - # First, an example of a form generated for a login page that doesn't deal with model attributes: + # There are two types of form helpers: those that specifically work with model attributes and those that don't. + # This helper deals with those that work with model attributes; to see an example of form helpers that don't work + # with model attributes, check the ActionView::Helpers::FormTagHelper documentation. # - # <% form_tag :controller => 'sessions', :action => 'new' do -%> - # <%= text_field_tag 'login' %> - # <%= password_field_tag 'password' %> - # - # <%= submit_tag 'Log in' %> - # <% end -%> - # - # This would generate the following html: - # - # <form action="/sessions/new" method="post"> - # <input id="login" name="login" type="text" /> - # <input id="password" name="password" type="password" /> - # - # <input name="commit" type="submit" value="Log in" /> - # </form> - # - # The params object created for this would look like: - # - # {"commit"=>"Log in", "action"=>"create", "controller"=>"sessions", "login"=>"some_user", "password"=>"some_pass"} + # The core method of this helper, form_for, gives you the ability to create a form for a model instance; + # for example, let's say that you have a model <tt>Person</tt> and want to create a new instance of it: # - # Note how the params are not nested when creating a form this way. - # - # An example that specifically deals with a person object: - # - # # Note: a @person variable will have been created in the controller and populated with data - # # e.g. @person = Person.find(1) - # <% form_for :person, @person, :url => { :action => "update" } do |f| %> + # # Note: a @person variable will have been created in the controller. + # # For example: @person = Person.new + # <% form_for :person, @person, :url => { :action => "create" } do |f| %> # <%= f.text_field :first_name %> # <%= f.text_field :last_name %> - # <%= submit_tag 'Update' %> + # <%= submit_tag 'Create' %> # <% end %> # - # The html generated for this would be: + # The HTML generated for this would be: # - # <form action="/persons/update" method="post"> + # <form action="/persons/create" method="post"> # <input id="person_first_name" name="person[first_name]" size="30" type="text" /> # <input id="person_last_name" name="person[last_name]" size="30" type="text" /> - # <input name="commit" type="submit" value="Update" /> + # <input name="commit" type="submit" value="Create" /> # </form> # - # The params object created when this form is submitted would look like: + # The <tt>params</tt> object created when this form is submitted would look like: # - # {"action"=>"create", "controller"=>"sessions", "person"=>{"first_name"=>"William", "last_name"=>"Smith"}} + # {"action"=>"create", "controller"=>"persons", "person"=>{"first_name"=>"William", "last_name"=>"Smith"}} # - # The form_for method generates a form based on a method, in our example if the @person object had contained any - # values they would have been set in the form (this is how edit forms are created). Notice how the params hash - # has a nested 'person' value, which can therefore be accessed with params[:person] in the controller. + # The params hash has a nested <tt>person</tt> value, which can therefore be accessed with <tt>params[:person]</tt> in the controller. + # If were editing/updating an instance (e.g., <tt>Person.find(1)</tt> rather than <tt>Person.new</tt> in the controller), the objects + # attribute values are filled into the form (e.g., the <tt>person_first_name</tt> field would have that person's first name in it). # - # If the object name contains square brackets the id for the object will be inserted. Example: + # If the object name contains square brackets the id for the object will be inserted. For example: # # <%= text_field "person[]", "name" %> # - # ...becomes: + # ...will generate the following ERb. # # <input type="text" id="person_<%= @person.id %>_name" name="person[<%= @person.id %>][name]" value="<%= @person.name %>" /> # # If the helper is being used to generate a repetitive sequence of similar form elements, for example in a partial - # used by render_collection_of_partials, the "index" option may come in handy. Example: + # used by <tt>render_collection_of_partials</tt>, the <tt>index</tt> option may come in handy. Example: # # <%= text_field "person", "name", "index" => 1 %> # - # becomes + # ...becomes... # # <input type="text" id="person_1_name" name="person[1][name]" value="<%= @person.name %>" /> # # There are also methods for helping to build form tags in link:classes/ActionView/Helpers/FormOptionsHelper.html, # link:classes/ActionView/Helpers/DateHelper.html, and link:classes/ActionView/Helpers/ActiveRecordHelper.html module FormHelper - # Creates a form and a scope around a specific model object, which is then used as a base for questioning about - # values for the fields. Examples: + # Creates a form and a scope around a specific model object that is used as a base for questioning about + # values for the fields. # # <% form_for :person, @person, :url => { :action => "update" } do |f| %> # First name: <%= f.text_field :first_name %> @@ -92,17 +72,17 @@ module ActionView # <% end %> # # Worth noting is that the form_for tag is called in a ERb evaluation block, not an ERb output block. So that's <tt><% %></tt>, - # not <tt><%= %></tt>. Also worth noting is that form_for yields a form_builder object, in this example as f, which emulates + # not <tt><%= %></tt>. Also worth noting is that form_for yields a <tt>form_builder</tt> object, in this example as <tt>f</tt>, which emulates # the API for the stand-alone FormHelper methods, but without the object name. So instead of <tt>text_field :person, :name</tt>, # you get away with <tt>f.text_field :name</tt>. # - # That in itself is a modest increase in comfort. The big news is that form_for allows us to more easily escape the instance - # variable convention, so while the stand-alone approach would require <tt>text_field :person, :name, :object => person</tt> + # Even further, the form_for method allows you to more easily escape the instance variable convention. So while the stand-alone + # approach would require <tt>text_field :person, :name, :object => person</tt> # to work with local variables instead of instance ones, the form_for calls remain the same. You simply declare once with # <tt>:person, person</tt> and all subsequent field calls save <tt>:person</tt> and <tt>:object => person</tt>. # # Also note that form_for doesn't create an exclusive scope. It's still possible to use both the stand-alone FormHelper methods - # and methods from FormTagHelper. Example: + # and methods from FormTagHelper. For example: # # <% form_for :person, @person, :url => { :action => "update" } do |f| %> # First name: <%= f.text_field :first_name %> @@ -112,16 +92,19 @@ module ActionView # <% end %> # # Note: This also works for the methods in FormOptionHelper and DateHelper that are designed to work with an object as base. - # Like collection_select and datetime_select. + # Like FormOptionHelper#collection_select and DateHelper#datetime_select. # - # Html attributes for the form tag can be given as :html => {...}. Example: + # HTML attributes for the form tag can be given as :html => {...}. For example: # # <% form_for :person, @person, :html => {:id => 'person_form'} do |f| %> # ... # <% end %> # + # The above form will then have the <tt>id</tt> attribute with the value </tt>person_form</tt>, which you can then + # style with CSS or manipulate with JavaScript. + # # You can also build forms using a customized FormBuilder class. Subclass FormBuilder and override or define some more helpers, - # then use your custom builder like so: + # then use your custom builder. For example, let's say you made a helper to automatically add labels to form inputs. # # <% form_for :person, @person, :url => { :action => "update" }, :builder => LabellingFormBuilder do |f| %> # <%= f.text_field :first_name %> @@ -130,12 +113,13 @@ module ActionView # <%= check_box_tag "person[admin]", @person.company.admin? %> # <% end %> # - # In many cases you will want to wrap the above in another helper, such as: + # In many cases you will want to wrap the above in another helper, so you could do something like the following: # # def labelled_form_for(name, object, options, &proc) # form_for(name, object, options.merge(:builder => LabellingFormBuiler), &proc) # end # + # If you don't need to attach a form to a model instance, then check out FormTagHelper#form_tag. def form_for(object_name, *args, &proc) raise ArgumentError, "Missing block" unless block_given? options = args.last.is_a?(Hash) ? args.pop : {} @@ -145,8 +129,9 @@ module ActionView end # Creates a scope around a specific model object like form_for, but doesn't create the form tags themselves. This makes - # fields_for suitable for specifying additional model objects in the same form. Example: + # fields_for suitable for specifying additional model objects in the same form: # + # ==== Examples # <% form_for :person, @person, :url => { :action => "update" } do |person_form| %> # First name: <%= person_form.text_field :first_name %> # Last name : <%= person_form.text_field :last_name %> @@ -156,8 +141,8 @@ module ActionView # <% end %> # <% end %> # - # Note: This also works for the methods in FormOptionHelper and DateHelper that are designed to work with an object as base. - # Like collection_select and datetime_select. + # Note: This also works for the methods in FormOptionHelper and DateHelper that are designed to work with an object as base, + # like FormOptionHelper#collection_select and DateHelper#datetime_select. def fields_for(object_name, *args, &block) raise ArgumentError, "Missing block" unless block_given? options = args.last.is_a?(Hash) ? args.pop : {} @@ -169,27 +154,81 @@ module ActionView # Returns an input tag of the "text" type tailored for accessing a specified attribute (identified by +method+) on an object # assigned to the template (identified by +object+). Additional options on the input tag can be passed as a - # hash with +options+. These options will be tagged onto the html as an html element attribute as in the example + # hash with +options+. These options will be tagged onto the html as an HTML element attribute as in the example # shown. # - # Examples (call, result): + # ==== Examples # text_field(:post, :title, :size => 20) - # <input type="text" id="post_title" name="post[title]" size="20" value="#{@post.title}" /> + # # => <input type="text" id="post_title" name="post[title]" size="20" value="#{@post.title}" /> + # + # text_field(:post, :title, :class => "create_input") + # # => <input type="text" id="post_title" name="post[title]" value="#{@post.title}" class="create_input" /> + # + # text_field(:session, :user, :onchange => "if $('session[user]').value == 'admin' { alert('Your login can not be admin!'); }") + # # => <input type="text" id="session_user" name="session[user]" value="#{@session.user}" onchange = "if $('session[user]').value == 'admin' { alert('Your login can not be admin!'); }"/> + # + # text_field(:snippet, :code, :size => 20, :class => 'code_input') + # # => <input type="text" id="snippet_code" name="snippet[code]" size="20" value="#{@snippet.code}" class="code_input" /> + # def text_field(object_name, method, options = {}) InstanceTag.new(object_name, method, self, nil, options.delete(:object)).to_input_field_tag("text", options) end - # Works just like text_field, but returns an input tag of the "password" type instead. + # Returns an input tag of the "password" type tailored for accessing a specified attribute (identified by +method+) on an object + # assigned to the template (identified by +object+). Additional options on the input tag can be passed as a + # hash with +options+. These options will be tagged onto the html as an HTML element attribute as in the example + # shown. + # + # ==== Examples + # password_field(:login, :pass, :size => 20) + # # => <input type="text" id="login_pass" name="login[pass]" size="20" value="#{@login.pass}" /> + # + # password_field(:account, :secret, :class => "form_input") + # # => <input type="text" id="account_secret" name="account[secret]" value="#{@account.secret}" class="form_input" /> + # + # password_field(:user, :password, :onchange => "if $('user[password]').length > 30 { alert('Your password needs to be shorter!'); }") + # # => <input type="text" id="user_password" name="user[password]" value="#{@user.password}" onchange = "if $('user[password]').length > 30 { alert('Your password needs to be shorter!'); }"/> + # + # password_field(:account, :pin, :size => 20, :class => 'form_input') + # # => <input type="text" id="account_pin" name="account[pin]" size="20" value="#{@account.pin}" class="form_input" /> + # def password_field(object_name, method, options = {}) InstanceTag.new(object_name, method, self, nil, options.delete(:object)).to_input_field_tag("password", options) end - # Works just like text_field, but returns an input tag of the "hidden" type instead. + # Returns a hidden input tag tailored for accessing a specified attribute (identified by +method+) on an object + # assigned to the template (identified by +object+). Additional options on the input tag can be passed as a + # hash with +options+. These options will be tagged onto the html as an html element attribute as in the example + # shown. + # + # ==== Examples + # hidden_field(:signup, :pass_confirm) + # # => <input type="hidden" id="signup_pass_confirm" name="signup[pass_confirm]" value="#{@signup.pass_confirm}" /> + # + # hidden_field(:post, :tag_list) + # # => <input type="hidden" id="post_tag_list" name="post[tag_list]" value="#{@post.tag_list}" /> + # + # hidden_field(:user, :token) + # # => <input type="hidden" id="user_token" name="user[token]" value="#{@user.token}" /> def hidden_field(object_name, method, options = {}) InstanceTag.new(object_name, method, self, nil, options.delete(:object)).to_input_field_tag("hidden", options) end - # Works just like text_field, but returns an input tag of the "file" type instead, which won't have a default value. + # Returns an file upload input tag tailored for accessing a specified attribute (identified by +method+) on an object + # assigned to the template (identified by +object+). Additional options on the input tag can be passed as a + # hash with +options+. These options will be tagged onto the html as an html element attribute as in the example + # shown. + # + # ==== Examples + # file_field(:user, :avatar) + # # => <input type="file" id="user_avatar" name="user[avatar]" /> + # + # file_field(:post, :attached, :accept => 'text/html') + # # => <input type="file" id="post_attached" name="post[attached]" /> + # + # file_field(:attachment, :file, :class => 'file_input') + # # => <input type="file" id="attachment_file" name="attachment[file]" class="file_input" /> + # def file_field(object_name, method, options = {}) InstanceTag.new(object_name, method, self, nil, options.delete(:object)).to_input_field_tag("file", options) end @@ -198,11 +237,26 @@ module ActionView # on an object assigned to the template (identified by +object+). Additional options on the input tag can be passed as a # hash with +options+. # - # Example (call, result): - # text_area("post", "body", "cols" => 20, "rows" => 40) - # <textarea cols="20" rows="40" id="post_body" name="post[body]"> - # #{@post.body} - # </textarea> + # ==== Examples + # text_area(:post, :body, :cols => 20, :rows => 40) + # # => <textarea cols="20" rows="40" id="post_body" name="post[body]"> + # # #{@post.body} + # # </textarea> + # + # text_area(:comment, :text, :size => "20x30") + # # => <textarea cols="20" rows="30" id="comment_text" name="comment[text]"> + # # #{@comment.text} + # # </textarea> + # + # text_area(:application, :notes, :cols => 40, :rows => 15, :class => 'app_input') + # # => <textarea cols="40" rows="15" id="application_notes" name="application[notes]" class="app_input"> + # # #{@application.notes} + # # </textarea> + # + # text_area(:entry, :body, :size => "20x20", :disabled => 'disabled') + # # => <textarea cols="20" rows="20" id="entry_body" name="entry[body]" disabled="disabled"> + # # #{@entry.body} + # # </textarea> def text_area(object_name, method, options = {}) InstanceTag.new(object_name, method, self, nil, options.delete(:object)).to_text_area_tag(options) end @@ -211,18 +265,24 @@ module ActionView # assigned to the template (identified by +object+). It's intended that +method+ returns an integer and if that # integer is above zero, then the checkbox is checked. Additional options on the input tag can be passed as a # hash with +options+. The +checked_value+ defaults to 1 while the default +unchecked_value+ - # is set to 0 which is convenient for boolean values. Usually unchecked checkboxes don't post anything. - # We work around this problem by adding a hidden value with the same name as the checkbox. + # is set to 0 which is convenient for boolean values. Since HTTP standards say that unchecked checkboxes don't post anything, + # we add a hidden value with the same name as the checkbox as a work around. # - # Example (call, result). Imagine that @post.validated? returns 1: + # ==== Examples + # # Let's say that @post.validated? is 1: # check_box("post", "validated") - # <input type="checkbox" id="post_validate" name="post[validated]" value="1" checked="checked" /> - # <input name="post[validated]" type="hidden" value="0" /> + # # => <input type="checkbox" id="post_validate" name="post[validated]" value="1" checked="checked" /> + # # <input name="post[validated]" type="hidden" value="0" /> # - # Example (call, result). Imagine that @puppy.gooddog returns "no": + # # Let's say that @puppy.gooddog is "no": # check_box("puppy", "gooddog", {}, "yes", "no") - # <input type="checkbox" id="puppy_gooddog" name="puppy[gooddog]" value="yes" /> - # <input name="puppy[gooddog]" type="hidden" value="no" /> + # # => <input type="checkbox" id="puppy_gooddog" name="puppy[gooddog]" value="yes" /> + # # <input name="puppy[gooddog]" type="hidden" value="no" /> + # + # check_box("eula", "accepted", {}, "yes", "no", :class => 'eula_check') + # # => <input type="checkbox" id="eula_accepted" name="eula[accepted]" value="no" /> + # # <input name="eula[accepted]" type="hidden" value="no" /> + # def check_box(object_name, method, options = {}, checked_value = "1", unchecked_value = "0") InstanceTag.new(object_name, method, self, nil, options.delete(:object)).to_check_box_tag(options, checked_value, unchecked_value) end @@ -231,12 +291,18 @@ module ActionView # assigned to the template (identified by +object+). If the current value of +method+ is +tag_value+ the # radio button will be checked. Additional options on the input tag can be passed as a # hash with +options+. - # Example (call, result). Imagine that @post.category returns "rails": + # + # ==== Examples + # # Let's say that @post.category returns "rails": # radio_button("post", "category", "rails") # radio_button("post", "category", "java") - # <input type="radio" id="post_category" name="post[category]" value="rails" checked="checked" /> - # <input type="radio" id="post_category" name="post[category]" value="java" /> + # # => <input type="radio" id="post_category" name="post[category]" value="rails" checked="checked" /> + # # <input type="radio" id="post_category" name="post[category]" value="java" /> # + # radio_button("user", "receive_newsletter", "yes") + # radio_button("user", "receive_newsletter", "no") + # # => <input type="radio" id="user_receive_newsletter" name="user[receive_newsletter]" value="yes" /> + # # <input type="radio" id="user_receive_newsletter" name="user[receive_newsletter]" value="no" checked="checked" /> def radio_button(object_name, method, tag_value, options = {}) InstanceTag.new(object_name, method, self, nil, options.delete(:object)).to_radio_button_tag(tag_value, options) end |