time_select blank field saves a default time when form is submitted

Question

Im having trouble understanding my options for time_select. My goal is to have only user created time selections render in my show action after form submission.

What is happening however is a default time of 12:00 AM being rendered for all time_select fields not touched by a user. I am looking for a way to either stop default time values from saving (which if I had to guess, isn't possible), or create a conditional that would allow me to prevent default time values from rendering.

I have looked over the following with no success so far:

1. Nil value on datetime_select?
2. Optional time_select with allow_blank defaults to 00:00
3. Rails time_select set default
4. Rails 3: How to prevent my validations to pass a "nil time" from time_select dropdowns?
5. http://api.rubyonrails.org/classes/ActionView/Helpers/DateHelper.html#method-i-time_select

Here is my code:

_form.html.erb (only the snippet that I am having trouble with for brevity)


                    <td>
                    <span style="display: block; width: auto; margin-left: 4%">
                        <%= f.time_select :med1_time_of_day1, { include_blank: true, twelve_hour: true, minute_step: 15, ampm: true }, style: "width: 45%;" %>
                    </span>
                    <span style="display: block; width: auto; margin-left: 4%">
                        <%= f.time_select :med1_time_of_day2, { include_blank: true, twelve_hour: true, minute_step: 15, ampm: true }, style: "width: 45%;" %>
                    </span>
                    <span style="display: block; width: auto; margin-left: 4%">
                        <%= f.time_select :med1_time_of_day3, { include_blank: true, twelve_hour: true, minute_step: 15, ampm: true }, style: "width: 45%;" %>
                    </span>
                    <span style="display: block; width: auto; margin-left: 4%">
                        <%= f.time_select :med1_time_of_day4, { include_blank: true, twelve_hour: true, minute_step: 15, ampm: true }, style: "width: 45%;" %>
                    </span>
                </td>
                <td>

---

show.html.erb

<table class="table table-bordered table-striped">
        <thead>
            <th>Medication Name & Instructions for Use</th>
            <th>Time of Day</th>
            <th>
                Day(s) of the Month Medication was Taken
            </th>
        </thead>
        <tbody>
            <td>
                <%= @med_record_form.med1_name %>
                <%= @med_record_form.med1_instruct %>
            </td>
            <td>
                <% unless @med_record_form.med1_time_of_day1.nil? %>
                    <%= @med_record_form.med1_time_of_day1.strftime("%I:%M %p") %>
                    <br />
                <% end %>
                <% unless @med_record_form.med1_time_of_day2.nil? %>
                    <%= @med_record_form.med1_time_of_day2.strftime("%I:%M %p") %>
                    <br />
                <% end %>
                <% unless @med_record_form.med1_time_of_day3.nil? %>
                    <%= @med_record_form.med1_time_of_day3.strftime("%I:%M %p") %>
                    <br/>
                <% end %>
                <% unless @med_record_form.med1_time_of_day4.nil? %>
                    <%= @med_record_form.med1_time_of_day4.strftime("%I:%M %p") %>
                    <br />
                <% end %>
            </td>
        </tbody>
    </table>

Note: I've also tried replacing @instance_var.nil? with @instance_var.blank? and @instance_var.empty? without success.

---

And just in case the controller is needed...

    med_record_forms_controller.rb

    class MedRecordFormsController < ApplicationController
  before_filter :get_resident

  def index
    @med_record_form = @resident.med_record_forms
  end

  def new
    @med_record_form = @resident.med_record_forms.build
  end

  def create
    @med_record_form = @resident.med_record_forms.build(params[:med_record_form])
    if @med_record_form.save
      redirect_to [@resident, @med_record_form] #, flash_class[:success] = "Form was created!"
    else
      render 'new' #, flash[:error] = "There was a problem with the form"
    end
  end

  def show
    @med_record_form = @resident.med_record_forms.find(params[:id])
  end

  def update
    @med_record_form = @resident.med_record_forms.find(params[:id])
    if @med_record_form.update_attributes(params[:med_record_form])
      flash[:success] = "Form updated"
      redirect_to controller: 'residents', action: 'show', id: params[:id]
    else
      render 'edit', flash[:error] = "Unable to update form"
    end
  end

  def edit
    @med_record_form = @resident.med_record_forms.find(params[:id])
  end

  def destroy
    @med_record_form = @resident.med_record_forms.find(params[:id])
    @med_record_form.destroy
    flash[:notice] = "You sure?"
    redirect_to resident_med_record_forms_path
  end

  private
  # get_resident converts the resident_id given by the routing
  # into an @resident object, for use in this controller & coresponding views
  def get_resident
    @resident = Resident.find(params[:resident_id])
  end
end

Answer 1

This question is similar to this: Optional time_select with allow_blank defaults to 00:00

I found the default for time_select sets the time parts blank but there is a hidden date component that is not set to blank. You can see this when you look at the parameters:

"my_time(1i)"=>"1", "my_time(2i)"=>"1", "my_time(3i)"=>"1", "my_time(4i)"=>"", "my_time(5i)"=>""

You will need to set the time to nil in your controller like this:

def create
  @med_record_form = @resident.med_record_forms.build(params[:med_record_form])
  @med_record_form.med1_time_of_day1 = nil if params[:med_record_form]["med1_time_of_day1(4i)"].blank? && 
        params[:med_record_form]["med1_time_of_day1(5i)"].blank?
  if @med_record_form.save
    redirect_to [@resident, @med_record_form] #, flash_class[:success] = "Form was created!"
  else
    render 'new' #, flash[:error] = "There was a problem with the form"
  end
end