Rails 4 is not saving into the database with this method? - ruby-on-rails

Question

Trying to save parameters from url into a database.
I have a link:
- #kits.each do |kit|
= link_to 'Submit Video', new_challenge_path(kit: kit)
#this will append a new parameter into the url
The link goes to a form page with this:
= simple_form_for #challenge, html: { class: "form-horizontal" } do |f|
= f.input :video_title
= f.input :video_url
= f.input :video_desc, as: :text
= f.button :submit, "Upload video"
In my controller, I have this:
def create
#challenge = Challenge.new(challenge_params)
#challenge.kit_id = params[:kit]
respond_to do |format|
if #challenge.save
format.html { redirect_to #challenge, notice: 'Challenge was successfully created.' }
format.json { render :show, status: :created, location: #challenge }
else
format.html { render :new }
format.json { render json: #challenge.errors, status: :unprocessable_entity }
end
end
end
private
# Use callbacks to share common setup or constraints between actions.
def set_challenge
#challenge = Challenge.find(params[:id])
end
# Never trust parameters from the scary internet, only allow the white list through.
def challenge_params
params.require(:challenge).permit(:video_title, :video_url, :video_desc, :kit_id)
end
Association between kit and challenge
class Challenge < ActiveRecord::Base
belongs_to :kit, counter_cache: true
end
class Kit < ActiveRecord::Base
has_many :challenges
end
The parameter doesn't save into the :kit_id. Doesn't this: #challenge.kit_id = params[:kit] supposed to take care of saving it?

Answer 1

You are right to do the kit_id assignment in controller, not in the form, since doing so in the form (even by means of using the hidden field) is not secure, because changing the value of a hidden_field is just a matter of inspecting the elements of the page.
What you are doing wrong, is I assume that params[:kit] is just nil.
You would probably want to use params[:kit_id].
If that won't help, put binding.pry here:
# ... code omitted
#challenge.kit_id = params[:kit]
binding.pry
# ... code omitted
and check the value of params in opened console.