Django: "Can't convert 'Name' object to str implicitly" on saving object

Question

In Django admin, I have created a Name object with name: "United Kingdom". I then create a Nation object with the Name object I've just created, and a path to a flag image.

On saving the entry, I get:

TypeError at /admin/display/nation/add/

Can't convert 'Name' object to str implicitly
Request Method: POST
Request URL:    http://127.0.0.1:8000/admin/display/nation/add/
Django Version: 1.6.2
Exception Type: TypeError
Exception Value:    Can't convert 'Name' object to str implicitly
Exception Location: \models.py in __unicode__, line 24

Relevant section of models.py

class Name(models.Model):
    def __unicode__(self):
        return 'Name: ' + self.name
    id = models.AutoField(primary_key=True)
    name = models.CharField(max_length=32)
    class Meta:
        db_table = 'name'

class Nation(models.Model):
    def __unicode__(self):
        return 'Nation: ' + self.name
    id = models.AutoField(primary_key=True)
    name = models.ForeignKey(Name)
    flag_path = models.CharField(max_length=64)
    class Meta:
        db_table = 'nation'

From the error message I understand that return 'Name: ' + self.name needs to get a string back to append to 'Name: ', but how would I amend my models.py to allow that?

Answer 1

The change that fixed the problem:

'Name: ' + self.name.name

That way I'm correctly referring to the name column in the name table.

Answer 2

Use unicodes in __unicode__() method i.e.

u'Name: ' + self.name

and

u'Nation: ' + self.name

Without unicode in 'Nation: ' + self.name, it will try to get string representation which is not defined for Name object.