raw_id_fields for modelforms

Question

I have a modelform which has one field that is a ForeignKey value to a model which as 40,000 rows. The default modelform tries to create a select box with 40,000 options, wh

Answer 1

You can also use the entire raw_id_field admin widget, complete with the handy js popup search that the admin page has. You don't even need a model form. Here's how:

import string
from django.contrib.admin.widgets import ForeignKeyRawIdWidget
from django import forms
from models import MyModel

# Have to subclass widget b/c 
# django hardcodes a relative path to Admin Root URL: ../../..
class HardcodedURLForeignKeyRawIdWidget(ForeignKeyRawIdWidget):
    def render(self, *args, **kwargs):
        original_render = super(HardcodedURLForeignKeyRawIdWidget, 
            self).render(*args, **kwargs)
        ADMIN_ROOT_URL = "/admin/"
        return string.replace(original_render,"../../../", ADMIN_ROOT_URL)


class FieldLookupForm(forms.Form):
    my_foreignkey_field = forms.CharField(max_length=10,
        widget=HardcodedURLForeignKeyRawIdWidget(
            MyModel._meta.get_field("foreignkey_field").rel))

Add the relevant admin js to your template, and viola

{% block header %}







{% endblock %}