Update_attribute does an insert?

Rails
1

Hello,

I am trying to update an integer value on a table using Rails, but it
complains that I am violating a not-null constraint because I didn’t
specify other attributes. My code is as follows:

sup = Supplier.new
sup.update_attribute('num_products', total_products)

The error I get is:

RuntimeError: ERROR C23502 Mnull value in column “name” violates
not-null constraint FexecMain.c 1782 RExecConstraints:
INSERT INTO suppliers(“name”, “num_products”, “drop_ship_fee”,
“real_name”, “return_policy”, shipping_terms", “url”, “description”)
VALUES(NULL, 161, 400, NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL)

Why is it doing an insert instead of just an update on the single
attribute I want to change? Thanks!

2

I am trying to update an integer value on a table using Rails, but it
complains that I am violating a not-null constraint because I didn’t
specify other attributes. My code is as follows:

sup = Supplier.new
sup.update_attribute(‘num_products’, total_products)

You are creating a new Supplier in ‘sup’. So there’s no associated
record in the database for you to update the ‘num_products’ column.

Try something like:

sup = Supplier.find(123)
sup.update_attribute(‘num_products’, total_products)

-philip

3

On Jul 11, 2007, at 5:23 PM, Philip H. wrote:

Try something like:

INSERT INTO suppliers(“name”, “num_products”, “drop_ship_fee”,
“real_name”, “return_policy”, shipping_terms", “url”, “description”)
VALUES(NULL, 161, 400, NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL)

Why is it doing an insert instead of just an update on the single
attribute I want to change? Thanks!

If that’s really what you want to do, there are a couple other ways
to go about it:

sup = Supplier.new(:num_products => total_products)

sup = Supplier.new do |s|
s.num_products = total_products
end

or if you want it to be on the disk NOW! you might want something like:

sup = Supplier.create(:name => “Supplier One”, :num_products =>
total_products)

or check out the find_or_create_by_* methods (or even
find_or_initialize_by_*) if you might have a record, but are sure you
will have one by the time the call is finished.

sup = Supplier.find_or_initialize_by_name(“Supplier One”) do |s|
s.num_products = total_products
# … other changes
end

sup.save # writes the database once

-Rob

Rob B. http://agileconsultingllc.com
[email protected]