Select option passes value => nil, not name => value

Hello. I'm trying to have a select box in one of my views be observed for change and have the value of the select box be accessible via params[:name] in my controller. However, no matter what I try the select parameters sent back to the server are always in params as "value => nil". That makes it quite difficult to get the value of the select box since value is different for every selection.

Here is what I've tried.

1. Simple HTML approach

<select id="bird" name="bird">   <option value="3">Bald Eagle</option> </select> <%= observe_field("bird", :url => url(:avian, :hunt)) %>

2. Rails approach

<%= collection_select("avian", "avian_id", Avian.find(:all).sort, :avian_id, :description, :include_blank => true) %> <%= observe_field("avian_avian_id", :url => url(:avian, :hunt)) %>

In case 1 the parameters related to the select that appear with params are "3 => nil". Similar feedback for case 2. In neither case is the select in a form. I figured that is not necessary since my HTML is valid and the observer is monitoring the select. I've tried wrapping the select in a simple <form></form> but no luck.

Obviously I am missing something because I cannot find posts related to this topic in this forum or elsewhere on the 'net. I'm trying to take the simplest approach here. Can someone please clue me in? Thanks!

Have u tried using the :with argument?

<%= observe_field 'avian_avian_id',          :url => url(:avian, :hunt),          :with => 'name' %>

http://api.rubyonrails.org/classes/ActionView/Helpers/PrototypeHelper.html#M000966

Regards, Jabbslad

That did the trick, thank you.