Multiple checkboxes for ruby array

Multiple checkboxes for ruby array

#MODEL
serialize :storage_type

#CONTROLLER
:storage_type => []

#FORM
#STORE = model
  
  <div class="field"> 
    <%= check_box("store", :storage_type, {:multiple => true}, "Self Storage", nil)  %> Self Storage
    <%= check_box("store", :storage_type, {:multiple => true}, "fetch", nil)  %> fetch
    <%= check_box("store", :storage_type, {:multiple => true}, "roll_over", nil)  %> roll_over
  </div>

  #OUTPUTTED
  <div class="field"> 
    <input checked="checked" id="store_storage_type_self_storage" name="store[storage_type][]" type="checkbox" value="Self Storage"> Self Storage
    <input checked="checked" id="store_storage_type_fetch" name="store[storage_type][]" type="checkbox" value="fetch"> fetch
    <input checked="checked" id="store_storage_type_roll_over" name="store[storage_type][]" type="checkbox" value="roll_over"> roll_over
  </div>

NOTE: If you use nil as the unchecked value, it will not automatically include a hidden_field_tag which the unset value. This means that if you uncheck all of the boxes (after at least one of them is already set), it will not submit anything and the previous values will remain.

By using any empty String ("") instead of nil, it will generate the hidden_field_tag automatically and you should be in good shape. Then, you may want to use a before_save to call compact_blank! to remove any empty Strings in the serialized Array.