How to save a set of things over and over (autosave) - ajax

Question

I am creating a set of things (each thing has FK to the set) directly with forms. The problem I am having is with the view(s).
I want to create the set for the things and then update all the things over and over using AJAX (Kind of like autosave). In my case the set is a SurveySet and the thing is a Survey.
def screen_many(request):
if not request.is_ajax():
# get an ordered QuerySet of students
students = ids_to_students(request.GET.items())
e_students = ids_to_students(request.GET.items(), 'e')
i_students = ids_to_students(request.GET.items(), 'i')
survey_count = len(students)
# Build a dataset of students with there associated behavior types.
data = [{'student':s.pk, 'behavior_type': 'E'} for s in e_students]
data += [{'student':s.pk, 'behavior_type': 'I'} for s in i_students]
# Use that dataset as initial data for a formset
SurveyFormset = formset_factory(SurveyForm, extra=0)
survey_formset = SurveyFormset(initial=data)
# ... not shown: customizing the crispy form helper
# Make a new survey set...
ss = SurveySet()
ss.user=request.user
ss.save()
if request.is_ajax():
surveyset = get_object_or_404(SurveySet, pk=ss.pk)
surveys = surveyset.survey_set.all()
survey_formset = SurveyFormset(request.POST, instance=surveyset)
if survey_formset.is_valid():
# Create surveys for this surveyset
for form in survey_formset.forms:
saved = form.save(commit=False)
saved.surveyset = ss
saved.save()
HttpResponse('saved.')
formsetWithStudents = zip(survey_formset.forms, students)
c = {
'formsetWithStudents' : formsetWithStudents,
'students' : students,
'survey_count' : survey_count,
'e_students': e_students,
'i_students': i_students,
'survey_formset': survey_formset,
}
c.update(csrf(request))
return render_to_response("reports/screen_many.html", c)
If my URL looks like this: http://127.0.0.1:8000/screen_many/?e_1=13&e_2=12&i_1=14 The view makes 3 survey sets all the while complaining that there is an
UnboundLocalError at /screen_many/
local variable 'ss' referenced before assignment
I feel like I need to make a separate view just for the ajax and I want the SurveySet object to only be created once.
So, in other words. I am filling in forms of a formset which update after clicking "view next form" This is in my template.
$('.next').click(function(){
$(this).parent().hide()
$(this).parent().next().show()
var posting = $.post('/screen_many/', $('form').serializeArray() );
posting.done(function(response){
console.log(response)
});
Or I could send the POST data here:
def save_as_you_go(request):
if request.is_ajax():
# Get the surveyset from POST
ss = request.POST['form-0-surveyset']
surveyset = get_object_or_404(SurveySet, pk=ss)
surveys = surveyset.survey_set.all()
SurveyFormSet = inlineformset_factory(SurveySet, Survey, form=SurveyForm, can_delete=False, extra=0)
survey_formset = SurveyFormSet(request.POST, instance=surveyset)
if survey_formset.is_valid():
for form in survey_formset.forms:
student = form.save(commit=False)
student.surveyset = surveyset
student.save()
return HttpResponse('saved.')
else:
return HttpResponseRedirect('/')
But then I get
[u'ManagementForm data is missing or has been tampered with']

Answer 1

Forgive me if my answer seems naive--I am new to Python and Django, but it looks like you are setting the ss variable in the non-ajax request and then referencing it in the ajax request. Perhaps you can set ss prior to the if statements?
#set ss variable before if statements
ss = SurveySet()
ss.user=request.user
ss.save()
if not request.is_ajax():
###do your non-ajax request stuff
if request.is_ajax():
###do your ajax request stuff