Validates acceptance always failing

Question

I can't see what I'm missing, but something is obviously not right.

In model:

validates :terms, :acceptance => true, :on => :update 

Trying a few options:

>> a = Factory(:blog_agreement) => #<BlogAgreement id: 54, terms: false, created_at: "2011-01-20 11:33:03", updated_at: "2011-01-20 11:33:03", accept_code: "fa27698206bb15a6fba41857f12841c363c0e291", user_id: 874>  >> a.terms => false  >> a.terms = true => true >> a.save => false  >> a.terms = "1" => "1" >> a.save => false  >> a.terms = 1 => 1 >> a.save => false >> a.errors.full_messages => ["Terms must be accepted"] 

Answer 1

Updated answer..

So it turns out that the problem was having terms as an actual column in the table. In general validates_acceptance_of is used without such a column, in which case it defines an attribute accessor and uses that for its validation.

In order for validates_acceptance_of to work when it maps to a real table column it is necessary to pass the :accept option, like:

validates :terms, :acceptance => {:accept => true} 

The reason for this has to do with typecasting in Active Record. When the named attribute actually exists, AR performs typecasting based on the database column type. In most cases the acceptance column will be defined as a boolean and so model_object.terms will return true or false.

When there's no such column attr_accessor :terms simply returns the value passed in to the model object from the params hash which will normally be "1" from a checkbox field.

Answer 2

In the case of someone has the same problem like me with devise, i add this answer:

i added to the devise's registration form:

sign_up.html.erb

<%= f.check_box :terms_of_service %> 

user.rb

validates, :terms_of_service, acceptance: true 

i forgot to add :terms_of_service inside my configured_permitted_parameters and devise ignored the checkbox state.

application_controller.rb

before_filter :configure_permitted_parameters, if: :devise_controller?  def configure_permitted_parameters   devise_parameter_sanitizer.for(:sign_up) { |u| u.permit(:email, :password, :password_confirmation, :terms_of_service)} end 

The configure_permitted_parameters method is used by devise for know what params he should be save in addition of email and password.