# Basic question map.root question

**URL:** <https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/basic-question-map-root-question/172804>\
**Category:** Rails\
**Created:** [July 28, 2009, 12:10pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/basic-question-map-root-question/172804 "2009-07-28T12:10:44Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![MRG46](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/c89c15/32.png) [@MRG46](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/MRG46)\
**Post date:** [July 28, 2009, 12:10pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/basic-question-map-root-question/172804/1 "2009-07-28T12:10:44Z")

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Hi

I’m brand new to RoR and just started the intro tutorial.

When trying to set the application home page like this:

> **[Getting Started with Rails — Ruby on Rails Guides](https://guides.rubyonrails.org/getting_started.html#setting-the-application-home-page)**
>
> Getting Started with RailsThis guide covers getting up and running with Ruby on Rails.After reading this guide, you will know: How to install Rails, create a new Rails application, and connect your application to a database. The general layout of a...

The server won’t start and gives the following errors (below)

I’m surprised to run into this error so early in the tutorial. Anyone  
know what’s wrong with the syntax or how I’m applying it?

Thanks  
Mark

\*\* Starting Rails with development environment…  
Exiting  
/System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/1.8/usr/lib/ruby/  
gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-1.13.6/lib/action\_controller/routing.rb:  
956:in `build': Illegal route: the :controller must be specified! (ArgumentError) from /System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/1.8/usr/lib/ ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-1.13.6/lib/action_controller/routing.rb: 1199:in `add\_route’  
from /System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/1.8/usr/lib/  
ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-1.13.6/lib/action\_controller/routing.rb:  
1205:in `add_named_route' from /System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/1.8/usr/lib/ ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-1.13.6/lib/action_controller/routing.rb: 992:in `root\_without\_deprecation’  
from /System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/1.8/usr/lib/  
ruby/gems/1.8/gems/activesupport-1.4.4/lib/active\_support/  
deprecation.rb:94:in `root' from ./script/../config/../config/routes.rb:16 from /System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/1.8/usr/lib/ ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-1.13.6/lib/action_controller/routing.rb: 1166:in `draw’  
from ./script/…/config/…/config/routes.rb:1  
from /System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/1.8/usr/lib/  
ruby/gems/1.8/gems/activesupport-1.4.4/lib/active\_support/  
dependencies.rb:488:in `load' ... 36 levels... from /System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/1.8/usr/lib/ ruby/gems/1.8/gems/rails-1.2.6/lib/commands/server.rb:39 from /System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/1.8/usr/lib/ ruby/1.8/rubygems/custom_require.rb:27:in `gem\_original\_require’  
from /System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/1.8/usr/lib/  
ruby/1.8/rubygems/custom\_require.rb:27:in `require’  
from script/server:3

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![MRG46](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/c89c15/32.png) [@MRG46](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/MRG46)\
**Post date:** [July 28, 2009, 12:22pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/basic-question-map-root-question/172804/2 "2009-07-28T12:22:27Z")

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On Jul 28, 1:04 am, MRG46 [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote:

> Hi
> 
> I’m brand new to RoR and just started the intro tutorial.
> 
> When trying to set the application home page like this:
> 
> [Getting Started with Rails — Ruby on Rails Guides](http://guides.rubyonrails.org/getting_started.html#setting-the-applic)…

I don’t think it’s a factor here, but you are following documention  
for rails 2.3 but running rails 1.2.6, you’re almost certain at some  
point to run into features that don’t exist in the version of rails  
you are running.  
What exactly do you have in routes.rb ?

Fred

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![MRG46](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/c89c15/32.png) [@MRG46](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/MRG46)\
**Post date:** [July 28, 2009, 3:22pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/basic-question-map-root-question/172804/3 "2009-07-28T15:22:44Z")

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Thanks Fred, you were exactly right; problem was with the version I  
was running. Upgraded to 2.3.3 and all is good now.

Thanks again  
Mark