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, which, to say the least is not ideal. Even more so when this modelform is used in a formset factory!

In the admin, this is easiely avoidable by using "raw_id_fields", but there doesn't seem to be a modelform equivalent. How can I do this?

Here is my modelform:

class OpBaseForm(ModelForm):

    base = forms.CharField()

    class Meta:
        model = OpBase
        exclude = ['operation', 'routes']
        extra = 0
        raw_id_fields = ('base', )   #does nothing

The first bolded line works by not creating the huge unwieldy selectbox, but when I try to save a fieldset of this form, I get the error: "OpBase.base" must be a "Base" instance. In order for the modelform to be saved, 'base' needs to be a Base instance. Apparently, a string representation of a Base primary key isn't enough (at least not automatically). I need some kind of mechanism to change the string that is given my the form, to a Base instance. And this mechanism has to work in a formset. Any ideas? If only raw_id_fields would work, this would be easy as cake. But as far as I can tell, it only is available in the admin.