Ruby on Rails object saves with blank values - ruby-on-rails

Question

group controller:
def show
#cat = Category.find_by_id(params[:id])
if #cat.group
#group = #cat.group
#members = #cat.group.group_members.all
#mem = #group.group_members.build
else
#cat.build_group
#cat.save
#mem = #cat.group.group_members.build
end
end
def add_member
#cat = Category.find_by_id(params[:id])
#group = #cat.group
#group.group_members.build(member_params)
if #group.save
redirect_to group_path
end
view:
- if #members.length > 0
- #members.each do |member|
%ul
%li
= member.first_name
= simple_form_for #mem, url: member_add_path(#cat.id), html: {:id => 'step_two_form'} do |f|
= f.label "First name"
= f.input :first_name, label: false
= f.label "Last name"
= f.input :last_name, label: false
= f.label "Email"
= f.input :email, label: false
= f.label "Phone number"
= f.input :telephone, label: false
= f.button :button, "Add member"
When I submit this form I can see that a new object is created as there is a new <li> in the source however the object has blank values, regardless of the input.
params (in the group controller):
def member_params
params.require(:group_member).permit(group_members_attributes: [:first_name, :last_name, :email, :telephone, :relationship, :status])
end
In the terminal I can see that the values I input are being passed but for some reason are not being saved. Here is the terminal output:
Parameters: {"utf8"=>"✓", "authenticity_token"=>"7odxnZzHoyjgF/oougDIVKNR/9RkZOlK3IOpCaUVvpQ=", "group_member"=>{"first_name"=>"name", "last_name"=>"name", "email"=>"name#name.com", "telephone"=>"1234567890"}, "button"=>"", "id"=>"22"}
All help is appreciated, thank you.
EDIT:
group_member.rb:
class GroupMember < ActiveRecord::Base
belongs_to :group
attr_accessor :first_name, :last_name, :email, :telephone, :relationship
end

Answer 1

Your member_params method doesn't need to specify group_members_attributes as a nested hash, you should just be able to permit the attributes directly (they'll be permitted on whatever you put in the require(...) part):
def member_params
params.require(:group_member).permit(:first_name, :last_name, :email, :telephone, :relationship, :status)
end

Answer 2

Extending #DylanMarkow's answer, if you are trying to save first_name, last_name, email, telephone, relationship fields in database then you need to remove the following line from GroupMember model:
attr_accessor :first_name, :last_name, :email, :telephone, :relationship
Due to the attr_accessor, the above mentioned fields are considered as virtual attributes and hence not saved in database.
UPDATE
Can you briefly explain what the purpose of attr_accessor is? I
thought it creates a getter and setter methods for the listed
attributes?
Yes, attr_accessor is a Ruby method and it creates getter and setter methods for an attribute. When you use attr_accessor within a Rails model, the listed attributes are treated as virtual attributes i.e., there values would be in memory/ accessible only till the instance of the model lives because it is not stored in the database fields (as it is marked as virtual attribute). In a Rails model you don't need to worry about getters and setters of attributes as ActiveRecord would take care of that.

Answer 3

combined with #DylanMarkows answer you are saving the group but not necessarily the member
def add_member
#cat = Category.find_by_id(params[:id])
#group = #cat.group
#group_member = #group.group_members.build(member_params)
if #group_member.save
redirect_to group_path
else
render ...
end
end
that might help also your method is missing an end and probably an else on save