Collection does not include prompt after error

Question

I have a collection set that has the days of the month 1 through 31. I validate in my model. When the page loads with an :birth error the prompt "Day" is no longer in my drop down box.

In my view

<%= f.label :birth %>
<%= f.collection_select(:birth_day, 1..31, :to_i, :to_i , :prompt=>'Day') %>

In my Model

validate :validate_dates

def validate_dates  
  b_month = self.birth_month.to_i

  if (b_month == 4 || b_month == 6 || b_month == 9 || b_month == 11)
    if (self.birth_day == 31)
      self.errors.add(:birth, "is invalid")
    end
  end
end

Generated Source - Before Error

<label for="individual_birth">Birth</label>
<select id="individual_birth_day" name="individual[birth_day]">
  <option value="">Day</option>
  <option value="1">1</option>
  <option value="2">2</option>
  <option value="3">3</option>
  <option value="4">4</option>
  <option value="5">5</option>
  ....
 </select>

Generated Source - After Error

<div class="field_with_errors"><label for="individual_birth">Birth</label></div>
<select id="individual_birth_day" name="individual[birth_day]">
  <option value="1">1</option>
  <option value="2">2</option>
  <option value="3">3</option>
  <option value="4">4</option>
  <option value="5">5</option>
  ....
  <option value="31" selected="selected">31</option>
 </select>

Please let me know what I am doing wrong. I need the prompt in the drop down since Day is not a required field. Thanks!

Can you post the generated HTML for that element before and after. — Sully, Nov 19 '12 at 19:32

score 0 · Answer 1 · edited May 23 '17 at 12:27

Try overriding field_error_proc by placing this code in config/application.rb

config.action_view.field_error_proc = Proc.new { |html_tag, instance| 
  "#{html_tag}".html_safe 
}

another example overriding field_error_proc https://gist.github.com/1464315

credit: https://stackoverflow.com/a/5268106/643500

If that does not do it, look into that function and what it is doing that causes the :prompt=>'Day' to disappear.

Edit:

After more testing the problem appears to be when the user already selects a value and tries to submit the form. This causes all other errors to appear while still holding the new selected value of the collection_select therefore the prompt is omitted (There is already a value)

To solve this change your collection_select to a select with options_from_collection_for_select

Something like

<%= f.select "element_name", options_from_collection_for_select(@my_select_collection, :my_value_method, :my_text_method, 0), {:prompt => "Day"} %> # 0 or nothing (holds default)

This way we set the default value to always 0 or leave it empty for nil. This way we guarantee that there is no valid value to be defaulted (If defaulted to valid value prompt will not show)

The other way is to use :include_blank, but that will not have 'Day'. That works for your scenario without changing anything. Just replace :prompt => 'Day' with :include_blank => true. There will always be an empty option. You can reset the blank to a value with JS.

D3mon - I tried exactly what you suggested and prompt "Day" disappeared when the page refreshed. `<%= f.select :birth_day, options_from_collection_for_select(1..31, :to_i, :to_s , 0), {:prompt=>"Day"} %>`. It's unfortunately a little worse. Now when the error displays on the page, the drop down changes to the first entry - "1" and the prompt is gone. I'm using Rails 3.2.6. — ca_allicat, Nov 19 '12 at 23:59

Collection does not include prompt after error

1 Answers1