Authlogic with nested attributes and polymorphic associations

Question

Hi all!

I'm having trouble with the following code:

User < AR
  acts_as_authentic

  belongs_to :owner, :polymorphic => true
end

Worker < AR
  has_one :user, :as => :owner
  accepts_nested_attributes_for :user
end

Employer < AR
  has_one :user, :as => :owner
  accepts_nested_attributes_for :user
end

I'd like to create registration forms based on user types, and to include authentication fields such as username and password. I currently do this:

UserRegistrationController < AC
  #i.e. a new Employer
  def new
    @employer = Employer.new
    @employer.build_user
  end
...
end

I then include User fields with fields_for. All views render fine, but here's the catch: I cannot build a User, it tells me :password is a wrong method, so I guess the authentication logic has been bypassed. What should I do? Am I doing it wrong altogether? Should I drop polymorphic associations in favor of Single Table Inheritance? Whatever I do, I have to make sure it plays nicely with Authlogic.

Answer 1

I'd approach the building of new users of either type in the opposite direction. ie:

#controller 
@employer = Employer.new
@user = @employer.build_user

#view
form_for @user |f|
  f.text_field :login
  f.password_field :password
  fields_for :owner, @employer |f_e|
    f_e.some_field :some_value

#controller
def create
  @owner = params[:owner][:some_employer_field_or_virtual_attribute] ? Employer.new params[:owner] : Worker.new params[:owner]
  @owner.save
  @user = User.new(params[:user].merge!(:owner => @owner)
  if @user.save
    ...

re. mentioned virtual attribute - if there's no field in the model, and thus in the form, which distinguishes user type as employer or worker then set an virtual attribute within each which you can put as a hidden boolean field in the form