ActionView::Helpers::FormTagHelper - Rails Framework Documentation 2.3.2

Inheritance

Provides a number of methods for creating form tags that doesn‘t rely on an Active Record object assigned to the template like FormHelper does. Instead, you provide the names and values manually.

NOTE: The HTML options disabled, readonly, and multiple can all be treated as booleans. So specifying :disabled => true will give disabled="disabled".

Methods

Instance

Visibility	Signature
public	check_box_tag (name, value = "1", checked = false, options = {})
public	field_set_tag (legend = nil, options = nil, &block)
public	file_field_tag (name, options = {})
public	form_tag (url_for_options = {}, options = {}, *parameters_for_url, &block)
public	hidden_field_tag (name, value = nil, options = {})
public	image_submit_tag (source, options = {})
public	label_tag (name, text = nil, options = {})
public	password_field_tag (name = "password", value = nil, options = {})
public	radio_button_tag (name, value, checked = false, options = {})
public	select_tag (name, option_tags = nil, options = {})
public	submit_tag (value = "Save changes", options = {})
public	text_area_tag (name, content = nil, options = {})
public	text_field_tag (name, value = nil, options = {})

Instance Method Detail

check_box_tag(name, value = "1", checked = false, options = {})

Creates a check box form input tag.

Options

:disabled - If set to true, the user will not be able to use this input.
Any other key creates standard HTML options for the tag.

Examples

  check_box_tag 'accept'
  # => <input id="accept" name="accept" type="checkbox" value="1" />

  check_box_tag 'rock', 'rock music'
  # => <input id="rock" name="rock" type="checkbox" value="rock music" />

  check_box_tag 'receive_email', 'yes', true
  # => <input checked="checked" id="receive_email" name="receive_email" type="checkbox" value="yes" />

  check_box_tag 'tos', 'yes', false, :class => 'accept_tos'
  # => <input class="accept_tos" id="tos" name="tos" type="checkbox" value="yes" />

  check_box_tag 'eula', 'accepted', false, :disabled => true
  # => <input disabled="disabled" id="eula" name="eula" type="checkbox" value="accepted" />

field_set_tag(legend = nil, options = nil, &block)

Creates a field set for grouping HTML form elements.

legend will become the fieldset‘s title (optional as per W3C). options accept the same values as tag.

Examples

  <% field_set_tag do %>
    <p><%= text_field_tag 'name' %></p>
  <% end %>
  # => <fieldset><p><input id="name" name="name" type="text" /></p></fieldset>

  <% field_set_tag 'Your details' do %>
    <p><%= text_field_tag 'name' %></p>
  <% end %>
  # => <fieldset><legend>Your details</legend><p><input id="name" name="name" type="text" /></p></fieldset>

  <% field_set_tag nil, :class => 'format' do %>
    <p><%= text_field_tag 'name' %></p>
  <% end %>
  # => <fieldset class="format"><p><input id="name" name="name" type="text" /></p></fieldset>

file_field_tag(name, options = {})

Creates a file upload field. If you are using file uploads then you will also need to set the multipart option for the form tag:

  <% form_tag '/upload', :multipart => true do %>
    <label for="file">File to Upload</label> <%= file_field_tag "file" %>
    <%= submit_tag %>
  <% end %>

The specified URL will then be passed a File object containing the selected file, or if the field was left blank, a StringIO object.

Options

Creates standard HTML attributes for the tag.
:disabled - If set to true, the user will not be able to use this input.

Examples

  file_field_tag 'attachment'
  # => <input id="attachment" name="attachment" type="file" />

  file_field_tag 'avatar', :class => 'profile-input'
  # => <input class="profile-input" id="avatar" name="avatar" type="file" />

  file_field_tag 'picture', :disabled => true
  # => <input disabled="disabled" id="picture" name="picture" type="file" />

  file_field_tag 'resume', :value => '~/resume.doc'
  # => <input id="resume" name="resume" type="file" value="~/resume.doc" />

  file_field_tag 'user_pic', :accept => 'image/png,image/gif,image/jpeg'
  # => <input accept="image/png,image/gif,image/jpeg" id="user_pic" name="user_pic" type="file" />

  file_field_tag 'file', :accept => 'text/html', :class => 'upload', :value => 'index.html'
  # => <input accept="text/html" class="upload" id="file" name="file" type="file" value="index.html" />

form_tag(url_for_options = {}, options = {}, *parameters_for_url, &block)

Starts a form tag that points the action to an url configured with url_for_options just like ActionController::Base#url_for. The method for the form defaults to POST.

Options

:multipart - If set to true, the enctype is set to "multipart/form-data".
:method - The method to use when submitting the form, usually either "get" or "post". If "put", "delete", or another verb is used, a hidden input with name _method is added to simulate the verb over post.
A list of parameters to feed to the URL the form will be posted to.

Examples

  form_tag('/posts')
  # => <form action="/posts" method="post">

  form_tag('/posts/1', :method => :put)
  # => <form action="/posts/1" method="put">

  form_tag('/upload', :multipart => true)
  # => <form action="/upload" method="post" enctype="multipart/form-data">

  <% form_tag '/posts' do -%>
    <div><%= submit_tag 'Save' %></div>
  <% end -%>
  # => <form action="/posts" method="post"><div><input type="submit" name="submit" value="Save" /></div></form>

hidden_field_tag(name, value = nil, options = {})

Creates a hidden form input field used to transmit data that would be lost due to HTTP‘s statelessness or data that should be hidden from the user.

Options

Creates standard HTML attributes for the tag.

Examples

  hidden_field_tag 'tags_list'
  # => <input id="tags_list" name="tags_list" type="hidden" />

  hidden_field_tag 'token', 'VUBJKB23UIVI1UU1VOBVI@'
  # => <input id="token" name="token" type="hidden" value="VUBJKB23UIVI1UU1VOBVI@" />

  hidden_field_tag 'collected_input', '', :onchange => "alert('Input collected!')"
  # => <input id="collected_input" name="collected_input" onchange="alert('Input collected!')"
  #    type="hidden" value="" />

image_submit_tag(source, options = {})

Displays an image which when clicked will submit the form.

source is passed to AssetTagHelper#image_path

Options

:confirm => ‘question?‘ - This will add a JavaScript confirm prompt with the question specified. If the user accepts, the form is processed normally, otherwise no action is taken.
:disabled - If set to true, the user will not be able to use this input.
Any other key creates standard HTML options for the tag.

Examples

  image_submit_tag("login.png")
  # => <input src="/images/login.png" type="image" />

  image_submit_tag("purchase.png", :disabled => true)
  # => <input disabled="disabled" src="/images/purchase.png" type="image" />

  image_submit_tag("search.png", :class => 'search-button')
  # => <input class="search-button" src="/images/search.png" type="image" />

  image_submit_tag("agree.png", :disabled => true, :class => "agree-disagree-button")
  # => <input class="agree-disagree-button" disabled="disabled" src="/images/agree.png" type="image" />

label_tag(name, text = nil, options = {})

Creates a label field

Options

Creates standard HTML attributes for the tag.

Examples

  label_tag 'name'
  # => <label for="name">Name</label>

  label_tag 'name', 'Your name'
  # => <label for="name">Your Name</label>

  label_tag 'name', nil, :class => 'small_label'
  # => <label for="name" class="small_label">Name</label>

password_field_tag(name = "password", value = nil, options = {})

Creates a password field, a masked text field that will hide the users input behind a mask character.

Options

:disabled - If set to true, the user will not be able to use this input.
:size - The number of visible characters that will fit in the input.
:maxlength - The maximum number of characters that the browser will allow the user to enter.
Any other key creates standard HTML attributes for the tag.

Examples

  password_field_tag 'pass'
  # => <input id="pass" name="pass" type="password" />

  password_field_tag 'secret', 'Your secret here'
  # => <input id="secret" name="secret" type="password" value="Your secret here" />

  password_field_tag 'masked', nil, :class => 'masked_input_field'
  # => <input class="masked_input_field" id="masked" name="masked" type="password" />

  password_field_tag 'token', '', :size => 15
  # => <input id="token" name="token" size="15" type="password" value="" />

  password_field_tag 'key', nil, :maxlength => 16
  # => <input id="key" maxlength="16" name="key" type="password" />

  password_field_tag 'confirm_pass', nil, :disabled => true
  # => <input disabled="disabled" id="confirm_pass" name="confirm_pass" type="password" />

  password_field_tag 'pin', '1234', :maxlength => 4, :size => 6, :class => "pin-input"
  # => <input class="pin-input" id="pin" maxlength="4" name="pin" size="6" type="password" value="1234" />

radio_button_tag(name, value, checked = false, options = {})

Creates a radio button; use groups of radio buttons named the same to allow users to select from a group of options.

Options

:disabled - If set to true, the user will not be able to use this input.
Any other key creates standard HTML options for the tag.

Examples

  radio_button_tag 'gender', 'male'
  # => <input id="gender_male" name="gender" type="radio" value="male" />

  radio_button_tag 'receive_updates', 'no', true
  # => <input checked="checked" id="receive_updates_no" name="receive_updates" type="radio" value="no" />

  radio_button_tag 'time_slot', "3:00 p.m.", false, :disabled => true
  # => <input disabled="disabled" id="time_slot_300_pm" name="time_slot" type="radio" value="3:00 p.m." />

  radio_button_tag 'color', "green", true, :class => "color_input"
  # => <input checked="checked" class="color_input" id="color_green" name="color" type="radio" value="green" />

select_tag(name, option_tags = nil, options = {})

Creates a dropdown selection box, or if the :multiple option is set to true, a multiple choice selection box.

Helpers::FormOptions can be used to create common select boxes such as countries, time zones, or associated records. option_tags is a string containing the option tags for the select box.

Options

:multiple - If set to true the selection will allow multiple choices.
:disabled - If set to true, the user will not be able to use this input.
Any other key creates standard HTML attributes for the tag.

Examples

  select_tag "people", "<option>David</option>"
  # => <select id="people" name="people"><option>David</option></select>

  select_tag "count", "<option>1</option><option>2</option><option>3</option><option>4</option>"
  # => <select id="count" name="count"><option>1</option><option>2</option>
  #    <option>3</option><option>4</option></select>

  select_tag "colors", "<option>Red</option><option>Green</option><option>Blue</option>", :multiple => true
  # => <select id="colors" multiple="multiple" name="colors[]"><option>Red</option>
  #    <option>Green</option><option>Blue</option></select>

  select_tag "locations", "<option>Home</option><option selected="selected">Work</option><option>Out</option>"
  # => <select id="locations" name="locations"><option>Home</option><option selected='selected'>Work</option>
  #    <option>Out</option></select>

  select_tag "access", "<option>Read</option><option>Write</option>", :multiple => true, :class => 'form_input'
  # => <select class="form_input" id="access" multiple="multiple" name="access[]"><option>Read</option>
  #    <option>Write</option></select>

  select_tag "destination", "<option>NYC</option><option>Paris</option><option>Rome</option>", :disabled => true
  # => <select disabled="disabled" id="destination" name="destination"><option>NYC</option>
  #    <option>Paris</option><option>Rome</option></select>

submit_tag(value = "Save changes", options = {})

Creates a submit button with the text value as the caption.

Options

:confirm => ‘question?‘ - This will add a JavaScript confirm prompt with the question specified. If the user accepts, the form is processed normally, otherwise no action is taken.
:disabled - If true, the user will not be able to use this input.
:disable_with - Value of this parameter will be used as the value for a disabled version of the submit button when the form is submitted.
Any other key creates standard HTML options for the tag.

Examples

  submit_tag
  # => <input name="commit" type="submit" value="Save changes" />

  submit_tag "Edit this article"
  # => <input name="commit" type="submit" value="Edit this article" />

  submit_tag "Save edits", :disabled => true
  # => <input disabled="disabled" name="commit" type="submit" value="Save edits" />

  submit_tag "Complete sale", :disable_with => "Please wait..."
  # => <input name="commit" onclick="this.disabled=true;this.value='Please wait...';this.form.submit();"
  #    type="submit" value="Complete sale" />

  submit_tag nil, :class => "form_submit"
  # => <input class="form_submit" name="commit" type="submit" />

  submit_tag "Edit", :disable_with => "Editing...", :class => "edit-button"
  # => <input class="edit-button" onclick="this.disabled=true;this.value='Editing...';this.form.submit();"
  #    name="commit" type="submit" value="Edit" />

text_area_tag(name, content = nil, options = {})

Creates a text input area; use a textarea for longer text inputs such as blog posts or descriptions.

Options

:size - A string specifying the dimensions (columns by rows) of the textarea (e.g., "25x10").
:rows - Specify the number of rows in the textarea
:cols - Specify the number of columns in the textarea
:disabled - If set to true, the user will not be able to use this input.
Any other key creates standard HTML attributes for the tag.

Examples

  text_area_tag 'post'
  # => <textarea id="post" name="post"></textarea>

  text_area_tag 'bio', @user.bio
  # => <textarea id="bio" name="bio">This is my biography.</textarea>

  text_area_tag 'body', nil, :rows => 10, :cols => 25
  # => <textarea cols="25" id="body" name="body" rows="10"></textarea>

  text_area_tag 'body', nil, :size => "25x10"
  # => <textarea name="body" id="body" cols="25" rows="10"></textarea>

  text_area_tag 'description', "Description goes here.", :disabled => true
  # => <textarea disabled="disabled" id="description" name="description">Description goes here.</textarea>

  text_area_tag 'comment', nil, :class => 'comment_input'
  # => <textarea class="comment_input" id="comment" name="comment"></textarea>

text_field_tag(name, value = nil, options = {})

Creates a standard text field; use these text fields to input smaller chunks of text like a username or a search query.

Options

:disabled - If set to true, the user will not be able to use this input.
:size - The number of visible characters that will fit in the input.
:maxlength - The maximum number of characters that the browser will allow the user to enter.
Any other key creates standard HTML attributes for the tag.

Examples

  text_field_tag 'name'
  # => <input id="name" name="name" type="text" />

  text_field_tag 'query', 'Enter your search query here'
  # => <input id="query" name="query" type="text" value="Enter your search query here" />

  text_field_tag 'request', nil, :class => 'special_input'
  # => <input class="special_input" id="request" name="request" type="text" />

  text_field_tag 'address', '', :size => 75
  # => <input id="address" name="address" size="75" type="text" value="" />

  text_field_tag 'zip', nil, :maxlength => 5
  # => <input id="zip" maxlength="5" name="zip" type="text" />

  text_field_tag 'payment_amount', '$0.00', :disabled => true
  # => <input disabled="disabled" id="payment_amount" name="payment_amount" type="text" value="$0.00" />

  text_field_tag 'ip', '0.0.0.0', :maxlength => 15, :size => 20, :class => "ip-input"
  # => <input class="ip-input" id="ip" maxlength="15" name="ip" size="20" type="text" value="0.0.0.0" />