# Attributes\[:xxx\] does not work within model?

**URL:** <https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/attributes-xxx-does-not-work-within-model/65597>\
**Category:** Ruby\
**Created:** [August 19, 2006, 5:06pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/attributes-xxx-does-not-work-within-model/65597 "2006-08-19T17:06:49Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![josh](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/45deac/32.png) [@josh](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/josh)\
**Post date:** [August 19, 2006, 5:06pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/attributes-xxx-does-not-work-within-model/65597/1 "2006-08-19T17:06:49Z")

</div>

Hi all

I have a model User that contains the attribute avatar. I’d like to  
rewrite the avatar method with something like that:

def avatar  
“#{file\_path}/#{attributes[:avatar]}”  
end

Sadly attributes[:avatar] doesn’t seem to have any content (nil).  
What have I done wrong?

Thanks, Josh

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![josh](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/45deac/32.png) [@josh](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/josh)\
**Post date:** [August 19, 2006, 5:15pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/attributes-xxx-does-not-work-within-model/65597/2 "2006-08-19T17:15:49Z")

</div>

Oh I’m sorry, wrong forum… Should go into the Rails forum.