Save record in rails 4.0 using params hash - rails-activerecord

Question

I'm trying to create a new record in rails using the form_for helper method. I think the params hash is blank because I keep getting blank errors when I submit the form.
This is my form:
<% provide(:title, "Add Department") %>
<h1>Add Department</h1>
<div class="row">
<div class="span6 offset3">
<%= form_for(#department) do |f| %>
<%= render 'shared/department_error_messages' %>
<%= f.label :Full_Department_Title %>
<%= f.text_field :full_name %>
<%= f.label :Department_Abbreviation %>
<%= f.text_field :abbreviation %>
<%= f.submit "Add department", class: "btn btn-large btn-primary" %>
<% end %>
</div>
</div>
This is my departments controller
class DepartmentsController < ApplicationController
def show
#department = Department.find(params[:id])
end
def new
#department = Department.new
end
def create
#department = Department.new(params[department_params]) # Not the final implementation!
if #department.save
redirect_to root_path
else
render 'new'
end
end
private
def department_params
# This says that params[:department] is required, but inside that, only params[:department][:full_name] and
# params[:department][:abbreviation] are permitted. Unpermitted params will be stripped out
params.require(:department).permit(:full_name, :abbreviation)
end
end
This is the Model:
class Department < ActiveRecord::Base
validates :full_name, presence: true, length: { minimum: 6 }
end
When I submit, errors are rendered saying the full_name can't be blank (and the fields are now empty). The debug info is:
--- !ruby/hash:ActionController::Parameters utf8: ✓
authenticity_token: EjfYjWAzaw7YqVZAkCPZwiEMFfb2YLIRrHbH1CpZOwA=
department: !ruby/hash:ActionController::Parameters
full_name: Sports Department
abbreviation: SD
commit: Add department
action: create
controller: departments
I've also checked the development log. The transaction starts and is then rolled back. I can save a record in the console so I'm guessing its something to do with the params hash, but can't figure it out. Please help

Answer 1

This line:
#department = Department.new(params[department_params])
Should be:
#department = Department.new(department_params)
And, as a minor issue (but not causing this problem), your label tags should look like:
f.label :full_name, "Full Department Title"
This way they are correctly associated with the input.