optional int(request.POST.get('timeout') throws error when empty - django

Question

This field timeout = int(request.POST.get('timeout')) throws an error saying
invalid literal for int() with base 10: ''
this is my model field: timeout = models.IntegerField(default=10)
The forms submits just fine if I submit number because the form interprets it as a string but my form handler will convert it into integer. But it fails if I leave the field blank. Seems like it can't process an empty string.
What can I do ?
forms.py:
class TestCaseSuiteForm(forms.ModelForm):
name = forms.CharField(widget=forms.TextInput(attrs={
'class': 'form-control',
'placeholder': 'Enter Name'}), label='')
documentation = forms.CharField(widget=forms.TextInput(attrs={
'class': 'form-control',
'placeholder': 'Enter Documentation'}), label='')
setup = forms.CharField(widget=forms.TextInput(attrs={
'class': 'form-control',
'placeholder': 'Enter Setup'}), label='')
teardown = forms.CharField(widget=forms.TextInput(attrs={
'class': 'form-control',
'placeholder': 'Enter teardown'}), label='')
force_tags = forms.CharField(widget=forms.TextInput(attrs={
'class': 'form-control',
'placeholder': 'Enter Force Tags'}), label='')
timeout = forms.IntegerField(widget=forms.TextInput(attrs={
'class': 'form-control',
'placeholder': 'Enter Timeout (optional)'}),
required=False, label='')
class Meta:
model = TestCase
fields = [
'name',
'documentation',
'force_tags',
'setup',
'teardown',
'timeout',
]
my view:
def index(request):
if request.method == 'POST':
form_tc = TestCaseForm(request.POST)
form_ts = TestCaseSuiteForm(request.POST)
if form_tc.is_valid() or form_ts.is_valid():
form_tc.save()
form_ts.save()
return redirect('/list')
In case you're wondering ... I've got two forms using one submit button.

Answer 1

Having gone to the trouble of defining a form and validating it, you are supposed to use that validated data, rather than resorting to the raw post data. Not only will the validated data use defaults as defined in the form where necessary, it will also convert types etc.
if form_tc.is_valid() and form_ts.is_valid():
TestCase.objects.create(
name=form.cleaned_data['name'],
documentation=cleaned_data['documentation'],
...
)
Note, you need to use the unprefixed field names as the keys here.
But this still isn't really getting you what you want. You haven't defined all your model fields as form fields, so you won't get defaults for the fields you haven't defined. Instead you should be using a model form.
class TestCaseSuiteForm(forms.ModelForm):
class Meta:
model = TestCase
fields = ['name', 'documentation', ...]
and now in your view you simply save the form to create the objects:
if form_tc.is_valid() and form_ts.is_valid():
form_tc.save()
form_ts.save()
Now your model defaults will be used appropriately.

Answer 2

Set a default using:
timeout = int(request.POST.get('timeout', 0))