references

_form.html.erb

<div id="reference-form">
	<%= form_for @reference, :remote => true do |f| %>
		<div>
			<%= f.text_field :name, :title => "Reference Name", :class => "reference-field" %>
			<%= f.text_field :phone_number, :title => "Phone Number", :class => "reference-field" %>
			<%= f.text_field :email, :title => "Email", :class => "reference-field" %>
			<%= f.select :relationship,
				"<option value='fr'>Friend</option>
				<option value='cw'>Co-Worker</option>
				<option value='fa'>Family</option>".html_safe, 
				:include_blank => true %>
		</div>
		<div>
			Use this reference as: 
			<label for="reference_for_General">
				<%= radio_button_tag :reference_for, 'General' %> General References (For all services)
			</label><br/>
			<label for="reference_for_Profile">
				<%= radio_button_tag :reference_for, 'Profile' %> Specific for
			</label>
			<%= f.fields_for :reference_types do |rf| %>
					<%= rf.select(:name, ReferenceType::PROFILE_TYPES.collect {|x| x },
                                  { :include_blank => false },
                                  { :multiple => true, :size => 7 }
                                 ) %>
			<% end %>
		</div>
		<div>
			Reference Privacy Level
			<label for="privacy_Private"><%= f.radio_button :private, '1'%> Publish this reference in my profile</label>
			<label for="privacy_Request"><%= f.radio_button :private, '0'%> Keep this reference only available upon request</label>
		</div>
		<div class="actions">
			<%= submit_tag 'Save' %>
		</div>
	<% end %>
</div>

params output and query

Started POST "/references" for 127.0.0.1 at 2012-12-06 04:38:23 +0800
Processing by ReferencesController#create as JS
  Parameters: {"utf8"=>"✓", "authenticity_token"=>"r4js/4bPNwWKibMIkXpjY8guaB12DDyDfEqI7PRAnmU=", "reference"=>{"name"=>"Test Name", "phone_number"=>"123-123-123", "email"=>"Test", "relationship"=>"fr", "reference_types_attributes"=>{"0"=>{"name"=>["", "bs", "na", "go", "ps"]}}, "private"=>"1"}, "reference_for"=>"Profile", "commit"=>"Save"}
  User Load (0.2ms)  SELECT `users`.* FROM `users` WHERE `users`.`id` = 9 LIMIT 1
   (0.1ms)  BEGIN
  SQL (0.4ms)  INSERT INTO `references` (`created_at`, `email`, `name`, `phone_number`, `private`, `relationship`, `updated_at`, `user_id`) VALUES ('2012-12-05 20:38:23', 'Test', 'Test Name', 123, 1, 'fr', '2012-12-05 20:38:23', 9)
  SQL (0.3ms)  INSERT INTO `reference_types` (`created_at`, `name`, `reference_id`, `updated_at`) VALUES ('2012-12-05 20:38:23', '---\n- \'\'\n- bs\n- na\n- go\n- ps\n', 9, '2012-12-05 20:38:23')
   (38.4ms)  COMMIT

reference.rb

class Reference < ActiveRecord::Base
	belongs_to :user
	has_many :reference_types
	accepts_nested_attributes_for :reference_types
end

reference_type.rb

class ReferenceType < ActiveRecord::Base
  belongs_to :reference

  PROFILE_TYPES = {'Baby Sitter' => 'bs', 'Nanny' => 'na', 'Governess' => 'go', 'Pet Sitter' => 'ps', 
  	           'HouseKeeper' => 'hk', 'Senior Care' => 'sc', 'Tutor' => 'tu' }
end

references_controller.rb

class ReferencesController < ApplicationController

	def index	
	end

	def new
		@reference = Reference.new
		@reference.reference_types.build
	end

	def create
	        @reference = Reference.new(params[:reference])
		@reference.user_id = current_user.id
	    respond_to do |format|
	      if @reference.save
	        format.html { redirect_to(@article, :notice => 'Reference was successfully created.') }
	        format.js
	      else
	        format.html { render :action => "new" }
	        format.js
	      end
	    end
	end
end