overwrite the create method of the model

Question

I am using the cocoon gem for nested records and because the form will be submitted by ajax and must remain in the form after submitting the data for creation, I need to modify the create method of the nested records model because every time the form is saved the same records are created despite having been created previously when the user previously saves the form.

Is it possible to overwrite the create method of the model so that at the time of saving the records it first looks for if the record exists and if it does it updates the record?

I had done something like this:

class PayrollEmployee < ApplicationRecord
  belongs_to :payroll
  belongs_to :employee_contract


  def create_or_update
    payroll_employee = PayrollEmployee.find_by_payroll_id_and_employee_contract_id(payroll_id, employee_contract_id) || PayrollEmployee.new()
    payroll_employee.update_attributes!(:payroll_id => payroll_id, :employee_contract_id => employee_contract_id) #etc etc
  end




end

but I get this error:

ArgumentError (wrong number of arguments (given 1, expected 0)):
  
app/models/payroll_employee.rb:6:in `create_or_update'
app/controllers/payrolls_controller.rb:122:in `block in update'
app/controllers/payrolls_controller.rb:121:in `update'

Answer 1

your create_or_update method at PayrollEmployee model is not accepting any arguments, I guess at payroll controller you have passed an argument. that's why it gives this ArgumentError (wrong number of arguments (given 1, expected 0)): error

so you should add an argument at your defined create_or_update method, or you should remove the passed value from the method in controller.