# Brand new to rails: can't get databases to work

**URL:** <https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/brand-new-to-rails-cant-get-databases-to-work/134635>\
**Category:** Rails\
**Created:** [April 13, 2008, 7:24am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/brand-new-to-rails-cant-get-databases-to-work/134635 "2008-04-13T07:24:59Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 9\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![ronrsr](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/ecae2f/32.png) [@ronrsr](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/ronrsr)\
**Post date:** [April 13, 2008, 7:24am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/brand-new-to-rails-cant-get-databases-to-work/134635/1 "2008-04-13T07:24:59Z")

</div>

Just starting to learn rails. All is going well, until I tried to hook  
up a database.

“undefined method `model’ for ZingerController:Class” is the message I  
get from the server.

I imagine I’ve left something out that is keeping me from connecting  
to the database, but I’m not exactly sure what.

Your help is appreciated.

bests,

-rsr-

session dump:

flash: !map:ActionController::Flash::FlashHash {}

database.yml file:

# SQLite version 3.x

# gem install mysql-ruby (not necessary on OS X Leopard)

development:  
adapter: mysql  
database: db/zingers  
timeout: 5000

# Warning: The database defined as ‘test’ will be erased and

# re-generated from your development database when you run ‘rake’.

# Do not set this db to the same as development or production.

test:  
adapter: mysqlsqlite3  
database: db/test.sqlite3  
timeout: 5000

production:  
adapter: sqlite3  
database: db/production.sqlite3  
timeout: 5000

and log:

Processing ZingerController#index (for 127.0.0.1 at 2008-04-13  
01:10:36) [GET]  
Session ID:  
BAh7BiIKZmxhc2hJQzonQWN0aW9uQ29udHJvbGxlcjo6Rmxhc2g6OkZsYXNo  
%0ASGFzaHsABjoKQHVzZWR7AA%3D%3D–  
ef1274263edd272a9339dc3c133cce94df9dc83e  
Parameters: {“action”=\>“index”, “controller”=\>“zinger”}

ArgumentError (No database specified. Missing argument: database.):  
C:/instantrails/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/activerecord-2.0.2/lib/  
active\_record/connection\_adapters/mysql\_adapter.rb:81:in  
`mysql_connection' C:/instantrails/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/activerecord-2.0.2/lib/ active_record/connection_adapters/abstract/connection_specification.rb: 291:in`send’  
C:/instantrails/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/activerecord-2.0.2/lib/  
active\_record/connection\_adapters/abstract/connection\_specification.rb:  
291:in `connection=' C:/instantrails/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/activerecord-2.0.2/lib/ active_record/connection_adapters/abstract/connection_specification.rb: 259:in`retrieve\_connection’  
C:/instantrails/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/activerecord-2.0.2/lib/  
active\_record/connection\_adapters/abstract/connection\_specification.rb:  
78:in `connection' C:/instantrails/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/activerecord-2.0.2/lib/ active_record/query_cache.rb:8:in`cache’  
C:/instantrails/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.0.2/lib/  
action\_controller/caching.rb:677:in `perform_action' C:/instantrails/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.0.2/lib/ action_controller/base.rb:524:in`send’  
C:/instantrails/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.0.2/lib/  
action\_controller/base.rb:524:in `process_without_filters' C:/instantrails/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.0.2/lib/ action_controller/filters.rb:685:in`process\_without\_session\_management\_support’  
C:/instantrails/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.0.2/lib/  
action\_controller/session\_management.rb:123:in `process' C:/instantrails/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.0.2/lib/ action_controller/base.rb:388:in`process’  
C:/instantrails/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.0.2/lib/  
action\_controller/dispatcher.rb:171:in `handle_request' C:/instantrails/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.0.2/lib/ action_controller/dispatcher.rb:115:in`dispatch’  
C:/instantrails/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.0.2/lib/  
action\_controller/dispatcher.rb:126:in `dispatch_cgi' C:/instantrails/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.0.2/lib/ action_controller/dispatcher.rb:9:in`dispatch’  
C:/instantrails/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/mongrel-1.1.2-x86-  
mswin32/bin/…/lib/mongrel/rails.rb:76:in `process' C:/instantrails/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/mongrel-1.1.2-x86- mswin32/bin/../lib/mongrel/rails.rb:74:in`synchronize’  
C:/instantrails/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/mongrel-1.1.2-x86-  
mswin32/bin/…/lib/mongrel/rails.rb:74:in `process' C:/instantrails/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/mongrel-1.1.2-x86- mswin32/lib/mongrel.rb:159:in`process\_client’  
C:/instantrails/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/mongrel-1.1.2-x86-  
mswin32/lib/mongrel.rb:158:in `each' C:/instantrails/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/mongrel-1.1.2-x86- mswin32/lib/mongrel.rb:158:in`process\_client’  
C:/instantrails/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/mongrel-1.1.2-x86-  
mswin32/lib/mongrel.rb:285:in `run' C:/instantrails/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/mongrel-1.1.2-x86- mswin32/lib/mongrel.rb:285:in`initialize’  
C:/instantrails/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/mongrel-1.1.2-x86-  
mswin32/lib/mongrel.rb:285:in `new' C:/instantrails/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/mongrel-1.1.2-x86- mswin32/lib/mongrel.rb:285:in`run’  
C:/instantrails/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/mongrel-1.1.2-x86-  
mswin32/lib/mongrel.rb:268:in `initialize' C:/instantrails/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/mongrel-1.1.2-x86- mswin32/lib/mongrel.rb:268:in`new’  
C:/instantrails/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/mongrel-1.1.2-x86-  
mswin32/lib/mongrel.rb:268:in `run' C:/instantrails/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/mongrel-1.1.2-x86- mswin32/lib/mongrel/configurator.rb:282:in`run’  
C:/instantrails/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/mongrel-1.1.2-x86-  
mswin32/lib/mongrel/configurator.rb:281:in `each' C:/instantrails/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/mongrel-1.1.2-x86- mswin32/lib/mongrel/configurator.rb:281:in`run’  
C:/instantrails/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/mongrel-1.1.2-x86-  
mswin32/bin/mongrel\_rails:128:in `run' C:/instantrails/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/mongrel-1.1.2-x86- mswin32/lib/mongrel/command.rb:212:in`run’  
C:/instantrails/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/mongrel-1.1.2-x86-  
mswin32/bin/mongrel\_rails:281  
C:/instantrails/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/activesupport-2.0.2/  
lib/active\_support/dependencies.rb:489:in `load' C:/instantrails/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/activesupport-2.0.2/ lib/active_support/dependencies.rb:489:in`load’  
C:/instantrails/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/activesupport-2.0.2/  
lib/active\_support/dependencies.rb:342:in `new_constants_in' C:/instantrails/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/activesupport-2.0.2/ lib/active_support/dependencies.rb:489:in`load’  
C:/instantrails/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/rails-2.0.2/lib/  
commands/servers/mongrel.rb:64  
C:/instantrails/ruby/lib/ruby/site\_ruby/1.8/rubygems/  
custom\_require.rb:27:in `gem_original_require' C:/instantrails/ruby/lib/ruby/site_ruby/1.8/rubygems/ custom_require.rb:27:in`require’  
C:/instantrails/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/activesupport-2.0.2/  
lib/active\_support/dependencies.rb:496:in `require' C:/instantrails/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/activesupport-2.0.2/ lib/active_support/dependencies.rb:342:in`new\_constants\_in’  
C:/instantrails/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/activesupport-2.0.2/  
lib/active\_support/dependencies.rb:496:in `require' C:/instantrails/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/rails-2.0.2/lib/ commands/server.rb:39 C:/instantrails/ruby/lib/ruby/site_ruby/1.8/rubygems/ custom_require.rb:27:in`gem\_original\_require’  
C:/instantrails/ruby/lib/ruby/site\_ruby/1.8/rubygems/  
custom\_require.rb:27:in `require’  
script/server:3

Rendering C:/instantrails/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.0.2/  
lib/action\_controller/templates/rescues/layout.erb  
(internal\_server\_error)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![ronrsr](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/ecae2f/32.png) [@ronrsr](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/ronrsr)\
**Post date:** [April 13, 2008, 1:01pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/brand-new-to-rails-cant-get-databases-to-work/134635/2 "2008-04-13T13:01:02Z")

</div>

On 13 Apr 2008, at 06:24, ronrsr wrote:

> # SQLite version 3.x
> 
> # gem install mysql-ruby (not necessary on OS X Leopard)
> 
> development:  
> adapter: mysql  
> database: db/zingers  
> timeout: 5000

this should be just

development:  
adapter: mysql  
database: zingers  
username:  
password:  
host: localhost

(obviously stick the desired username and password in there)

Fred

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![ronrsr](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/ecae2f/32.png) [@ronrsr](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/ronrsr)\
**Post date:** [April 13, 2008, 10:45pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/brand-new-to-rails-cant-get-databases-to-work/134635/3 "2008-04-13T22:45:31Z")

</div>

Thanks - that helped a bit — now I get a different error:

Unknown database: zinger

the database is named zingers\_development and is on 127.0.0.1 (not  
port 3000) on mysql server.

it has no password.

iT seems I am looking in the wrong place for the db.

I would again appreciate any help.

bests,

-rsr-

On Apr 13, 7:00 am, Frederick C. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![ronrsr](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/ecae2f/32.png) [@ronrsr](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/ronrsr)\
**Post date:** [April 13, 2008, 10:50pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/brand-new-to-rails-cant-get-databases-to-work/134635/4 "2008-04-13T22:50:12Z")

</div>

This may help, too:

error message in log (the first one):

ActionController::RoutingError (No route matches “/mysql” with  
( :method=\>:get))

bests,

=-rsr=

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![ronrsr](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/ecae2f/32.png) [@ronrsr](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/ronrsr)\
**Post date:** [April 14, 2008, 1:51am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/brand-new-to-rails-cant-get-databases-to-work/134635/5 "2008-04-14T01:51:00Z")

</div>

On Apr 13, 2008, at 2:44 PM, ronrsr wrote:

> Unknown database: zinger  
> the database is named zingers\_development

If that’s the name of the database then that’s what you have to put in  
the database: line.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![ronrsr](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/ecae2f/32.png) [@ronrsr](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/ronrsr)\
**Post date:** [April 14, 2008, 3:35am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/brand-new-to-rails-cant-get-databases-to-work/134635/6 "2008-04-14T03:35:00Z")

</div>

did that, still, it’s “database not found.”

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![ronrsr](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/ecae2f/32.png) [@ronrsr](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/ronrsr)\
**Post date:** [April 14, 2008, 3:53am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/brand-new-to-rails-cant-get-databases-to-work/134635/7 "2008-04-14T03:53:42Z")

</div>

here’s the latest trace:

c:/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/activerecord-2.0.2/lib/active\_record/  
vendor/mysql.rb:523:in `read' c:/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/activerecord-2.0.2/lib/active_record/ vendor/mysql.rb:153:in`real\_connect’  
c:/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/activerecord-2.0.2/lib/active\_record/  
connection\_adapters/mysql\_adapter.rb:471:in `connect' c:/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/activerecord-2.0.2/lib/active_record/ connection_adapters/mysql_adapter.rb:165:in`initialize’  
c:/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/activerecord-2.0.2/lib/active\_record/  
connection\_adapters/mysql\_adapter.rb:88:in `new' c:/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/activerecord-2.0.2/lib/active_record/ connection_adapters/mysql_adapter.rb:88:in`mysql\_connection’  
c:/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/activerecord-2.0.2/lib/active\_record/  
connection\_adapters/abstract/connection\_specification.rb:291:in `send' c:/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/activerecord-2.0.2/lib/active_record/ connection_adapters/abstract/connection_specification.rb:291:in`connection=’  
c:/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/activerecord-2.0.2/lib/active\_record/  
connection\_adapters/abstract/connection\_specification.rb:259:in  
`retrieve_connection' c:/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/activerecord-2.0.2/lib/active_record/ connection_adapters/abstract/connection_specification.rb:78:in`connection’  
c:/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/activerecord-2.0.2/lib/active\_record/  
query\_cache.rb:8:in `cache' c:/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.0.2/lib/action_controller/ caching.rb:677:in`perform\_action’  
c:/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.0.2/lib/action\_controller/  
base.rb:524:in `send' c:/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.0.2/lib/action_controller/ base.rb:524:in`process\_without\_filters’  
c:/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.0.2/lib/action\_controller/  
filters.rb:685:in `process_without_session_management_support' c:/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.0.2/lib/action_controller/ session_management.rb:123:in`process’  
c:/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.0.2/lib/action\_controller/  
base.rb:388:in `process' c:/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.0.2/lib/action_controller/ dispatcher.rb:171:in`handle\_request’  
c:/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.0.2/lib/action\_controller/  
dispatcher.rb:115:in `dispatch' c:/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.0.2/lib/action_controller/ dispatcher.rb:126:in`dispatch\_cgi’  
c:/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.0.2/lib/action\_controller/  
dispatcher.rb:9:in `dispatch' c:/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/rails-2.0.2/lib/webrick_server.rb: 112:in`handle\_dispatch’  
c:/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/rails-2.0.2/lib/webrick\_server.rb:78:in  
`service' c:/ruby/lib/ruby/1.8/webrick/httpserver.rb:104:in`service’  
c:/ruby/lib/ruby/1.8/webrick/httpserver.rb:65:in `run' c:/ruby/lib/ruby/1.8/webrick/server.rb:173:in`start\_thread’  
c:/ruby/lib/ruby/1.8/webrick/server.rb:162:in `start' c:/ruby/lib/ruby/1.8/webrick/server.rb:162:in`start\_thread’  
c:/ruby/lib/ruby/1.8/webrick/server.rb:95:in `start' c:/ruby/lib/ruby/1.8/webrick/server.rb:92:in`each’  
c:/ruby/lib/ruby/1.8/webrick/server.rb:92:in `start' c:/ruby/lib/ruby/1.8/webrick/server.rb:23:in`start’  
c:/ruby/lib/ruby/1.8/webrick/server.rb:82:in `start' c:/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/rails-2.0.2/lib/webrick_server.rb:62:in`dispatch’  
c:/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/rails-2.0.2/lib/commands/servers/  
webrick.rb:66  
c:/ruby/lib/ruby/site\_ruby/1.8/rubygems/custom\_require.rb:27:in  
`gem_original_require' c:/ruby/lib/ruby/site_ruby/1.8/rubygems/custom_require.rb:27:in`require’  
c:/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/activesupport-2.0.2/lib/active\_support/  
dependencies.rb:496:in `require' c:/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/activesupport-2.0.2/lib/active_support/ dependencies.rb:342:in`new\_constants\_in’  
c:/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/activesupport-2.0.2/lib/active\_support/  
dependencies.rb:496:in `require' c:/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/rails-2.0.2/lib/commands/server.rb:39 c:/ruby/lib/ruby/site_ruby/1.8/rubygems/custom_require.rb:27:in`gem\_original\_require’  
c:/ruby/lib/ruby/site\_ruby/1.8/rubygems/custom\_require.rb:27:in  
`require’  
SCRIPT/SERVER:3

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![ronrsr](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/ecae2f/32.png) [@ronrsr](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/ronrsr)\
**Post date:** [April 14, 2008, 3:48pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/brand-new-to-rails-cant-get-databases-to-work/134635/8 "2008-04-14T15:48:19Z")

</div>

development:  
adapter: mysql  
database: db/zingers

You are using a mysql adapter and the database name is “sqlite-like”.  
If you are just testing rails I suggest you to use sqlite3 database,  
so you don’t have to mess with mysql database.  
Just change your development adapter to sqlite3 and make sure the db  
directory is writeable (because the database will be phisically  
stored there).  
Otherwise if you want to use mysql you have to create the database  
(you can do that also with rake db:create) and you need to write in  
the configuration file also the username and password of the db user.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![ronrsr](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/ecae2f/32.png) [@ronrsr](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/ronrsr)\
**Post date:** [April 14, 2008, 4:10am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/brand-new-to-rails-cant-get-databases-to-work/134635/9 "2008-04-14T04:10:03Z")

</div>

you restarted your server?

Julian.

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