Problem with form for uploading file in the AA

[betasve]

Hello,

Could you please, assist me with information about an issue I have. I've decided to implement my own file upload functionality. It worked fine when (for test) implemented on the front-end. When I decided to take it back-end in AA, a strange error started popping. I have suspicion it might be of some expectation on the AA side that
f.input :location, :as => :file is expecting field that contains file in the DB and not a string field that is containing path to the file on the storage place.

More detailed explanation and example of the problem could be found here>
http://stackoverflow.com/questions/26215068/cant-cast-actiondispatchhttpuploadedfile-to-string-in-activeadmin?noredirect=1#comment41113413_26215068

Thank you in advance for your help.

Best Regards

[timoschilling]

You need to write a wrapper or alias method like this:

def uploaded_file= file
  self.location = file.read
end

or you can do this (not recommended):

def location= file
  super file.read
end

Thats because ActionDispatch don't give you the file content, it gives you a ActionDispatch::Http::UploadedFile which behaves like a File instance.

[betasve]

Thanks for your immediate input, @timoschilling. Appreciate it.

Just a couple of follow up questions:

1. Did you see the upload method in my model? I am trying to get the already uploaded file's location into the self.location, not the file itself.
2. As far as I understood your suggestoin, you mean to replace the @uploaded_file with a method that's holding the file reference and the rest of the info?

[timoschilling]

I know what do you want to do with your #upload method, but this is not that a good way. Sure it works in a Handwritten controller, but let me explain that for you. Try to use skinny controllers and fat models!

You should have a controller method like this:

def create
  @document = Document.new params # example without permitted params
  # redirect or render
end

This is that what the AA #create does!

And a model like this:

model Document < ActiveRecord::Base
  STORE_DIR = "documents"
  STORE_PATH = File.join("public", STORE_DIR)
  Dir.mkdir(STORE_PATH) unless Dir.exists?(STORE_PATH) # this should not be done here, move it into the server setup

  def file= file
    self.doc_type = file.original_filename.split('.').last
    self.location = File.join(STORE_DIR, file.original_filename)
    File.open(File.join(STORE_PATH, file.original_filename), "wb") { |f| f.write(file.read) }
  end
end

And this is what you form looks like:

form :html => { :enctype => "multipart/form-data" } do |f|
    f.inputs  :multipart => true do 
      f.input :name
      f.input :file, :as => :file
      f.input :static_page_id, :label => 'Parent Static Page', :as => :select, :collection => ->{StaticPage.pluck(:title, :id) }
    end
    f.actions
  end

[betasve]

Thank you for your detailed solution. You are very right about the slim controller and fat model. I will try to make those that way from now on.

I've implemented your suggestion for file but there is a strange error I can't seem to understand. Tried a few different solutions and it's still there. It says:

"undefined method `original_filename' for "documents/docname.pdf":String"

for
self.doc_type = file.original_filename.split('.').last

I've read that this may be because of missing ":multipart => true" in the form but mine is there.

[timoschilling]

I think the :multipart => true needs to be on form not on f.inputs. Try that, if it don't work, please post all of your related code again.

[betasve]

It was on the inputs but I had
:html => { :enctype => "multipart/form-data" }
on the form. And it's still not working. So I am posting the related code here

Controller:

def create
 @document = Document.new params
 redirect_to admin_documents_path
end

Model:

    STORE_DIR = 'documents'
STORE_PATH = File.join("public", STORE_DIR)
Dir.mkdir(STORE_PATH) unless Dir.exists?(STORE_PATH)

belongs_to :static_page

validates :name, presence: true, uniqueness: true
validates :location, presence: true, uniqueness: true
validates :doc_type, presence: true
validates :static_page, presence: true

def location= file
    self.doc_type = file.original_filename.split('.').last
    File.open(File.join(STORE_PATH, file.original_filename), "wb") { |f| f.write(file.read) }
    self.location = File.join(STORE_DIR, file.original_filename)
end

**Active Admin form:

form :multipart => true do |f| #:html => { :enctype => "multipart/form-data" } 
    f.inputs do #:multipart => true
      f.input :name
      f.input :location, :as => :file
      f.input :static_page_id, :label => 'Parent Static Page', :as => :select, :collection => StaticPage.all.map{|sp| ["#{sp.title}", sp.id]}
   end
   f.actions
 end

[timoschilling]

You can't (re)use the location location method, for your 'upload' method.
The reason is, that #update_attributes cast the ActionDispatch::Http::UploadedFile to a String (the type of location), so you get "documents/docname.pdf" instead of a UploadedFile instance.
You need to use a different name!
Use my version:

  def file= file
    self.doc_type = file.original_filename.split('.').last
    self.location = File.join(STORE_DIR, file.original_filename)
    File.open(File.join(STORE_PATH, file.original_filename), "wb") { |f| f.write(file.read) }
  end

[betasve]

Ok, that's totally my mistake. I though :file in the form of your example is a field that needs to persist in the database and replaced it with :location not thinking about the fact I cant use self.location = in the same function as my intention was.

Now (after moving :multipart => true to the form), it already works.

Thanks a whole lot for your valuable help. I wouldn't of been able to solve this on my own even spending a week more trying to figure it out.

Best Regards,
Sly

[timoschilling]

Ok, you are right, I don't have see the real problem ;)

I'm glad to have helped you!

[betasve]

Hey, sorry for continuously bothering you, but I was trying to implement your advice on moving the line for creating uploads/documents.
Tried to google for the good practices about this, but can't find something on this matter. Could you, please advise me on where / how shoud I structure this:

Dir.mkdir(STORE_PATH) unless Dir.exists?(STORE_PATH)

Thank you in advance for your precious input.

[timoschilling]

You can place it in a capistrano setup, or if you don't have a server setup tool, than place it in a initializer

[betasve]

Cool, thanks again. I guess it will be in initializer then.

[etonline]

Just want to share my finding that :multipart => true in the form for active admin was not needed before commit 6afaf58.