submitting accepts_nested_attributes and failed validations in parent - ruby-on-rails

Question

Thanks in advance for your help.
This may get a little long.
Setup
Models:
class Collection < ActiveRecord::Base
has_many :collection_ownerships
has_many :items
has_many :users, :through => :collection_ownerships
validates :title, presence: true, length: { maximum: 25 }
validates :description, length: { maximum: 100 }
end
class Item < ActiveRecord::Base
belongs_to :collection
has_many :item_ownerships, :dependent => :destroy
accepts_nested_attributes_for :item_ownerships
validates :name, :presence => true, length: { maximum: 50 }
validates :collection, :presence => true
end
class ItemOwnership < ActiveRecord::Base
belongs_to :item
belongs_to :user
validates :user, :presence => true
validates :item, :presence => true
end
Controllers
class ItemsController < ApplicationController
before_action :authenticate_user!
before_filter(:except => :toggle_item_owned_state) do
#collection = current_user.collections.find(params[:collection_id])
#item_list = #collection.items
end
def toggle_item_owned_state
#item = Item.find_by_id(params[:item_id])
#io = #item.item_ownerships.find_by_user_id(current_user)
#result = #io.update_attributes(:owned => #io.owned? ? false : true)
respond_to do |format|
if #result
format.html { }
format.js {}
else
format.html { }
format.js {}
end
end
end
def index
end
def new
#item = #collection.items.new
#item_ownership = #item.item_ownerships.build(:owned => true, :user => current_user, :item => #item)
end
def create
#item ||= #collection.items.new(item_params)
#item_ownership ||= #item.item_ownerships.build(:user => current_user, :item => item)
if #item.save
redirect_to collection_items_path(#collection)
else
flash.now[:alert] = "There was a problem saving this item."
render "new"
end
end
def edit
#item = #collection.items.find_by_id(params[:id])
end
def update
#item = #collection.items.find_by_id(params[:id])
if #item.update_attributes(item_params)
redirect_to collection_items_path(#collection)
else
flash.now[:alert] = "There was a problem saving this item."
render "edit"
end
end
def item_params
params.require(:item).permit(:name,
item_ownerships_attributes: [:id, :owned ])
end
end
View
<div class="row">
<span class="col-sm-12">
<div id="add_item">
<%= form_for [#collection, #item] do |f| %>
<div class="form-group <%= 'has-error has-feedback' if #item.errors[:name].present? %>">
<label class="sr-only" for="item_name">Item Name</label>
<%= f.text_field :name, :autofocus => true, :placeholder => "Item Name", :class => "form-control", :'aria-describedBy' => "itemNameBlock" %>
<% if #item.errors[:name].present? %>
<span id="itemNameBlock" class="error">Item <%= #item.errors[:name].first %></span>
<% end %>
<%= f.fields_for :item_ownerships do |io| %>
<%= io.check_box :owned %> Owned
<% end %>
</div>
<div id="signin_button_row">
<%= f.submit "Save", :class => "form-control green_button" %>
<span id="forgot_my_password" class="right-justify">
<%= link_to "cancel", collection_items_path(#collection), :class => "new_colors terms" %>
</span>
</div>
<% end %>
</div>
</span>
</div>
Symptom of problem:
When I submit the form in a failure situation (ie name is not provided), the form currently detects the validation and displays the error, however, I now get two checkboxes called 'owned' appearing in the form. Each failing submission adds an additional checkbox (as per attached image).
Can anyone help?
Update
This issue has taken a turn for the strange. I haven't changed anything (I know, I know, you don't believe it) other than restarting the server but now nothing is saved even with valid data. I am getting validation errors saying:
Validation failed: Item ownerships user can't be blank, Item ownerships item can't be blank

Answer 1

In your controller create action you have
def create
#item ||= #collection.items.new(item_params)
#item_ownership ||= #item.item_ownerships.build(:user => current_user)
if #item.save
redirect_to collection_items_path(#collection)
else
flash.now[:alert] = "There was a problem saving this item."
render "new"
end
end
Problem is on third line when you assign #item_ownership this variable is always empty at this time so code after = is executed. #item.item_ownerships.build(:user => current_user) always build new item_ownership and stores it into #item instance. So after first call of create you will have two item_ownerships first is from form and second is newly created. If validation fails and you send form again you will have three instances of item_ownerships two from the form a one newly created etc.

Answer 2

#edariedl was on the right track in addressing the initial response. The second line is completely unnecessary.
The second issue mentioned in the update I addressed in a separate question found here: Losing mind over validation failure saving nested models