started to implement :populate which allows you to create missing mod…

…els when doing #validate. this addresses #33.

lib/reform/form.rb

@@ -74,6 +74,8 @@ def initialize(model)
 
     module ValidateMethods # TODO: introduce Base module.
       def validate(params)
+        populate!(params)
+        puts "after populate! #{self.inspect}"
         # populate nested properties
         # update attributes of forms (from_hash)
         # run validate(errors) for all forms (no 1-level limitation anymore)
@@ -99,6 +101,10 @@ def validate_for(form, res, prefix=nil)
         errors.merge!(form.errors, prefix)
         false
       end
+
+      def populate!(params)
+        mapper.new(self).extend(Validate::Populator).from_hash(params)
+      end
     end
     include ValidateMethods
     require 'reform/form/multi_parameter_attributes'
@@ -237,6 +243,24 @@ def from_hash(*)
           super
         end
       end
+
+      module Populator
+        def from_hash(params, *args)
+          populated_attrs = []
+
+          nested_forms do |attr|
+            next unless attr[:populator]
+
+            attr.merge!(
+              :parse_strategy => attr[:populator],
+              :representable  => false
+              )
+            populated_attrs << attr.name.to_sym
+          end
+
+          super(params, {:include => populated_attrs})
+        end
+      end
     end
 
     ### TODO: add ToHash with :prepare => lambda { |form, args| form },

test/validate_test.rb

@@ -14,8 +14,7 @@ class ValidateTest < BaseTest
 
     before { subject.validate(params) }
 
-    it("xxx") { subject.title.must_equal "Best Of" }
-
+    it { subject.title.must_equal "Best Of" }
 
     it { subject.hit.must_be_kind_of Reform::Form }
     it { subject.hit.title.must_equal "Roxanne" }
@@ -29,4 +28,34 @@ class ValidateTest < BaseTest
     it { subject.songs[1].must_be_kind_of Reform::Form }
     it { subject.songs[1].title.must_equal "Roxanne" }
   end
+
+
+  describe "setup with populator" do
+    let (:form) {
+      Class.new(Reform::Form) do
+        property :hit, :populator => lambda { |fragment, args|
+          puts "******************* #{fragment}"
+
+          hit or self.hit = args.binding[:form].new(Song.new)
+          # TODO: wrap into form/Forms automatically in :instance.
+          # what happens with @model? we have to sync that as well.
+        } do
+          property :title
+        end
+      end
+     }
+
+    let (:params) {
+      {
+        "hit"   => {"title" => "Roxanne"},
+        # "songs" => [{"title" => "Fallout"}, {"title" => "Roxanne"}]
+      }
+    }
+
+    subject { form.new(Album.new) }
+
+    before { subject.validate(params) }
+
+    it( "xxx") { subject.hit.title.must_equal "Roxanne" }
+  end
 end