controller.py

def edit():
    icon_name = request.vars.item_0 if request.vars else None   
    icon_name = urllib.unquote(icon_name)
 
    model = Icon()
    if icon_name:
        icon_object = bw.objectQuery("icon", icon_name)
        model.populate(icon_object)
 
    icon_form = SQLFORM.factory(*model.fields())
    if icon_form.accepts(request.vars, session):
        # first update data
        model.populate(request.vars)
        icon_update = model.serialize()
        if hasattr(request.vars, 'icon_file'):
            if request.vars.icon_file:
                icon_update['icon'] = xmlrpclib.Binary(request.vars.icon_file.value)
        result = bw.objectUpdate('icon', icon_update)

        # then try to rename
        if (icon_object['name'] != request.vars.name):
            bw.objectRename("icon", icon_object['name'], request.vars.name)
        return response.json({'success': True})
            
    if icon_form.errors:
        return response.json(icon_form.errors)
        
    return dict(form=icon_form)

edit.html

<script type="text/javascript">
function testes() {
    $("#icon_form form").ajaxSubmit({
        type: 'POST',
        url: '{{=URL("icon", "edit", vars={"item_0":request.vars.item_0})}}',
        dataType: 'json',
        success: function(response, statusText, xhr, form) {
            console.log("here!");

            page_load_callback();
            if (response.success) {
                $('#right_sidebar').empty();
                $('#icon_table').dataTable().fnDraw();
                display_success("{{=T('icon updated')}}");
            } else {
                display_error("{{=T('There is an error with your form')}}");
                $.each(response, function(k, v) {
                    $("#no_table_" + k).after('<dd class="error">' + v + '</dd>');
                });
            }
        }
    });
}
</script>

<div id="icon_form">
{{=form.custom.begin}}
    <button type="button" onclick="testes()">{{=T('Update')}}</button>
    <button type="button" onclick="form_cancel()">{{=T('Cancel')}}</button>
    <div class="content-box column-right">
        <div class="content-box-header">
            <h3>{{=T("Name and Details")}}</h3>
        </div>
        <div class="content-box-content">
            <div class="tab-content default-tab">
                <dl>
                    <dt>{{=form.custom.label.name}}</dt>
                    <dd>{{=form.custom.widget.name}}</dd>
                </dl>
            </div>
        </div>
    </div>

    <div class="content-box column-right closed-box">
        <div class="content-box-header">
            <h3>{{=T("Icon Upload")}}</h3>
        </div>
        <div class="content-box-content">
            <div class="tab-content default-tab">
                <dl>
                    <dt>{{=T("Icon")}}</dt>
                    <dd>{{=INPUT(_type='file', _name='icon_file', _id='icon_file', requires=IS_NOT_EMPTY())}}</dd>
                </dl>
            </div>
        </div>
    </div>
{{=form.custom.end}}
</div>