Example complex form saving for Daryl

complex_form_save.rb

#------------------------------------------------------------
# View
#------------------------------------------------------------
= form_for(claim...) do |f|
  = text_field :user_lookup     # An existing reference or data to create a new one
  = text_field :provider_lookup # An existing reference or data to create a new one
  = text_field :claim_name
  = text_field :claim_amount
  = text_area :claim_description

#------------------------------------------------------------
# Controller
#------------------------------------------------------------
class ClaimsController
  ...
  def create
    claim = ClaimCreator.new(params).process!
    if claim.persisted?
      redirect_to :show, :id => claim.id
    else
      render :new
    end
  end
end

#------------------------------------------------------------
# ClaimCreator Class
#------------------------------------------------------------
class ClaimCreator
  def initialize(params)
    @params = params
  end

  def process!
    user = find_or_build_user(params.delete(:user_lookup))
    provider = find_or_build_provider(params.delete(:provider_lookup))

    claim = Claim.new(params.merge!(:user => user, :provider => provider))

    ActiveRecord::Base.transaction do
      user.save!
      provider.save!
      claim.save!
    end

    return claim
  end

private
  def find_or_build_user(lookup_id)
    ... # Your logic here
  end

  def find_or_build_provider(lookup_id)
    ... # Your logic here
  end
end

#------------------------------------------------------------
# Models
#------------------------------------------------------------
# Don't change a thing