Trying to distinguish between two hidden values using an id - ruby

Question

got yet another query from my still hodgepodge learning of ruby + watir.
The CMS i'm writing automation for creates an item and assigns an id to it at which point i execute the code below to collect and store the id as this is used for other actions against the item.
##grabprodvarelement = $browser.hidden(:name, "shopProductVariantHeadingID")
##prodvarid = ##grabprodvarelement.value
Once created there are then two buttons that control if the item is in stock or out of stock and published or unpublished.
Normally the code i use to update the publish status is
form_element = $browser.hidden(:name => 'shopProductVariantHeadingID', :value => "#{##prodvarid}").parent
form_element.button(:value => 'Change').click
However, in this instance when run against the html below, it is updating the stock flag, not the published status (I assume this is because it is the first instance of this 'change' value).
<td>
<span class="label label-important">Out of Stock</span>
<form action method='post' class='pull-right'>
<input type='submit' name='inStockChange' value='Change' class='btn btn-mini btn-secondary' style='float:right'>
<input type='hidden' name='shopProductVariantHeadingID' id='14' value ='14'>
<input type='hidden' name='stockChange' id='No' value ='No'>
</form>
</td>
<td>
<span class="label">Un-Published</span>
<form action method='post' class='pull-right'>
<input type='submit' name='publish' value='Change' class='btn btn-mini btn-secondary' style='float:right'>
<input type='hidden' name='shopProductVariantHeadingID' id='14' value ='14'>
<input type='hidden' name='published' id='No' value ='No'>
</form>
</td>
I've tried updating the code i use to;
form_element = $browser.hidden(:name => 'shopProductVariantHeadingID', :value => "#{##prodvarid}").parent
form_element.button(:name => 'publish').click
I thought this was enough to identify the the correct entry to click however, i get the error;
Watir::Exception::UnknownObjectException: unable to locate element, using (:name=>"publish", :tag_name=>"button")
any help would be appreciated.

Answer 1

The problem is actually with the way the form_element is located rather than how the button is clicked.
The line:
form_element = $browser.hidden(:name => 'shopProductVariantHeadingID', :value => "#{##prodvarid}").parent
Will always return the Out of Stock form; never then Un-Published form. This is because Watir will find the first matching hidden element, which is the one in the Out of Stock form. That causes form_element.button(:value => 'Change') to click the first change button and form_element.button(:name => 'publish') to not exist.
The form element will need to be located based on having the shopProductVariantHeadingID as well as the published button:
form_element = $browser.forms.find do |form|
form.hidden(:name => 'shopProductVariantHeadingID', :value => "#{##prodvarid}").exists? &&
form.button(:name => 'publish').exists?
end
form_element.button(:value => 'Change').click