[Rails-core] How to transfer a javascript value into a symbol used in Ruby on Rails

[mgj]

Hi,

I am currently using Rails 2.0.2 with Ruby 1.8.7. My Prototoype.js
version is 1.7(if required). I am basically trying to integrate the
calendar_date_select plugin in my app.

The link/tutorial I am referring is: 
http://ianli.com/site/HowTo/UseCalendarDateSelectRailsPlugin

I am trying to save the date I receive through the date select plugin
and store in a rails symbol :publishing_date.

I am selecting the date using the calendar_date_select plugin. The
selected date gets uploaded into the text field, but I am not sure how
to transfer that returned value onto my publishing_date
attribute(:publishing_date symbol) of my books table.


On manually entering a date I am able to see it reflected in the DB. I
am getting stuck when I am trying to save it through the plugin.

       <%= f.text_field :publishing_date %>

On clicking on the create button I get a null value for the date
selected via the calendar_date_select plugin. I am able to properly
insert values for name of book and author.

My code for a new book looks like this:

    <%= javascript_include_tag :defaults %>


    <script src='/javascripts/calendar_date_select/
calendar_date_select.js' type='text/javascript'></script>


    <h1>New book</h1>

    <%= error_messages_for :book %>

    <% form_for(@book) do |f| %>
      <p>
        <b>Title</b><br />
        <%= f.text_field :title %>
      </p>

      <p>
        <b>Author</b><br />
        <%= f.text_field :author %>
      </p>


    <p>
        <b>Publishing Date</b><br />


     <%=calendar_date_select_tag f.text_field :publishing_date %> <!--
This way of save/assigning doesn't work -->

    </p>

       <br />
       <br />
       <br />
       <br />

       <p>
        <%= f.submit "Create" %>
      </p>
    <% end %>

    <%= link_to 'Back', books_path %>




Also once I save it perfectly, could you also please tell me how would
I be able to display this date it in my index.html.erb

My current index.html.erb looks like this:

    <h1>Listing books</h1>

    <table>
      <tr>
        <th>Title</th>
        <th>Author</th>
        <th>Publishing Date</th>
      </tr>

    <% for book in @books %>
      <tr>
        <td><%=h book.title %></td>
        <td><%=h book.author %></td>
        <td><%= book.publishing_date %></td> <!-- Will this work? -->
        <td><%= link_to 'Show', book %></td>
        <td><%= link_to 'Edit', edit_book_path(book) %></td>
        <td><%= link_to 'Destroy', book, :confirm => 'Are you
sure?', :method => :delete %></td>
      </tr>
    <% end %>
    </table>
    <%= will_paginate @books %>

    <br />

    <%= link_to 'New book', new_book_path %>

An interesting excerpt from the aforementioned tutorial link is given
below:

    The value of the selected date can be accessed by getting the
value of the text field named calendar.

    Using the Prototype Javascript Library, you can do the following
to get the value.

    $F('calendar')

The roadblock I am facing is how to call the `$F('publishing_date')`
in my new.html.erb file using the rails `<%=>` tag and then assign
that to my :publishing_date symbol which will eventually be use to
update the publishing_date attribute in my books table.

Thanks for your support.




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