Check box collection inputs not checked on collection defined as array of symbols

[mszyndel]

Let's say I have a following model

class Palette
  attr_accessible :colours
  serialize :colours, Array
end

and a form

<%= simple_form_for :palette do |f| %>
  <%= a.input :colours, collection: [:red, :green, :blue], as: :check_boxes %>
<% end %>

so that labels get translated automatically when rendering.
The problem I'm facing is that respective check boxes are not not checked when I am editing an object.

I've found out that a reason for that is Simple Form is not matching symbol named collection elements from field to string values retrieved from database.

Workaround for that is to alter the line like this

  <%= a.input :colours, collection: [:red, :green, :blue], as: :check_boxese, value_method: lambda {|v| v.last.to_s } %>

but this is, as you may see, quite annoying.
Is it something that you may try to fix? I think value lookup should be performed either on strings or on symbols. Changing behaviour may break some peoples implementations, so I'm not sure what is the best way to fix it.

[nashby]

@hajder what Rails and SimpleForm versions are you using? Just tested it with SimpleForm 3.0.0.rc and Rails 4 and looks like everything works as expected. A sample app that reproduces this issue would be really helpful though. Thanks!

[mszyndel]

@nashby Hey, excuse my late resp.

simple_form (2.1.0)
rails (3.2.13)

I will make and link test app tomorrow.

[nashby]

@hajder tried it with these versions but with no success :(
Anyway waiting for the test app. Thanks!

[mszyndel]

I made a test app but can't reproduce this.
I'll have to investigate into my real app there I used aforementioned fix.

[didieruzan]

Reproduced the problem (with those same versions mentioned above).
I had the following configuration as well
:label_method => :last,
:value_method => :first,
(as I was using an array of id/value collection).
I then noticed it was properly working (checking the check_boxes for the selected values) when I omitted the :value_method => :first and only left :label_method => :last.

Hope this helps anyone

[yorkxin]

I can reproduce this issue:

1. serialize :colours, Array
2. Make a new Palette in rails console, that assigns palette.colours = [:red, :green] (instead of array of strings)
3. Open palette/edit page

Expected result:

• red and green are checked.

Actual result:

• red and green are not checked. All check boxes are not checked.

If string is assigned instead, e.g. palette.colours = ["red", "green"], then it works as expected.

[yorkxin]

I've debugged Checkbox#checked? method in Rails and found that the @checked_value is string but values is Array of Symbols.

So my workaround is:

<%= f.input :colours,
            :as => :check_boxes,
            :collection => [:red, :green, :blue],
            :value_method => :to_sym # convert values to symbol
            %>

[carlosantoniodasilva]

Just a reminder that whatever is being sent from the form is going to be string, so you're going to receive an array of strings in your controller/model, and you shouldn't be converting them back to symbols because you might be opening a big hole to a symbol DDoS in your application. Thus I'm not sure we should try to make this happen. Thanks!

[josevalim]

I agree with @carlosantoniodasilva. There is no way we can make this reliably work. You need to check the strings are valid values in the model/controller side and convert them to symbols.

[mszyndel]

hmm. So the lesson learned is not to use symbols in here?

[yorkxin]

Make sense. I'll consider to work on Strings instead of Symbols. Thanks @carlosantoniodasilva :)

[nashby]

Ok, closing then again. :)

[carlosantoniodasilva]

Thanks everyone 💚💛❤️💙💜

[thadeu]

serialize :colours, Array
Resolveu meu problema, acontece que o simple_form não aceitava Array, nem .join()

[mszyndel]

Hi @thadeu thanks for your comment! Could you please edit it to be in English?

[martinverdejo]

does anyone have an elegant way disabling inline labels? for example when I'm using the checkbox inside a <td> and will use the label in another <td>.