How to validate existing invalid model via nested attributes?

Question

It seems Rails will only validate an existing invalid nested model if the nested model's attributes have changed.

With the following models:

class Person < ActiveRecord::Base
  has_many :addresses
  accepts_nested_attributes_for :addresses
end

class Address < ActiveRecord::Base
  belongs_to :person
  validates_presence_of :street
end

The following code for example, will save and return true:

p = Person.first
p.update_attributes({:first_name => "Bryan", :addresses_attributes=>{"0"=>{:street=>"", :id => 1}})

Is there a way to validate the nested model as if it's attributes have changed? ( while retaining errors )

Use the save or save! methods. update_attributes is for special cases, and (I would have to look but) think it doesn't trigger certain checks that the straight-up save methods do. — Tom Harrison
– Tom Harrison, Commented Mar 27, 2012 at 2:01

Jesse Wolgamott · Accepted Answer · 2012-03-27 03:51:06Z

1

It works for me -- here's a test-case I created to prove it

require 'test_helper'

class PersonTest < ActiveSupport::TestCase

  test "update address" do
    expected_new_address="pandascout"
    person = Person.create(name: "jwo")
    address = person.addresses.create(street: "123 Elm")

    person.update_attributes({:addresses_attributes=>{"0"=>{:street=>expected_new_address, :id=>address.id}}})
    assert_equal expected_new_address, person.addresses.first.street
  end
end

The only thing I can think of is you have a reference to "address" and you need to reload it.

answered Mar 27, 2012 at 3:51

Jesse Wolgamott

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7 Comments

deadkarma Over a year ago

Thanks for taking the time to answer and create this test.

Jesse Wolgamott Over a year ago

@deadkarma sure -- I was curious and this was a way we could both reproduce the results... Did you find what you were looking for with this question? If so, please mark as accepted -- if not, let me know and I can dive further into.

deadkarma Over a year ago

I created a fresh new app, and it validates the nested model just fine. I reverted to a much earlier commit in my app, and it worked there as well. So it must be some change between now and 6 months ago :/

deadkarma Over a year ago

I think I found the crux of the problem. If the nested model hasn't changed? it doesn't run validations on it, thus allowing the parent model to update without errors. In your test-case, you are updating the street attribute on a valid address model.

Jesse Wolgamott Over a year ago

So you want to run validations against a model that didn't change?

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