# CookieStore::CookieOverflow

**URL:** <https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/cookiestore-cookieoverflow/150471>\
**Category:** Rails\
**Created:** [October 8, 2008, 11:16pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/cookiestore-cookieoverflow/150471 "2008-10-08T23:16:40Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![snantz](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/c2a13f/32.png) [@snantz](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/snantz)\
**Post date:** [October 8, 2008, 11:16pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/cookiestore-cookieoverflow/150471/1 "2008-10-08T23:16:40Z")

</div>

I have recently upgraded to rails 2.1.0. and since I have, the parts of  
my app that deal with CookieStore (sessions) has failed to work any  
longer. In Crome and most other browsers my code simply fails, IE7 is a  
little more forgiving since I can get logged in and then I can only see  
certain pages. My session code is pretty simple, a session is created by  
saying:

session[:user] = @user

@user being the info collected from the users table, yada, yada, yada.  
Here is the error I get when I run my app in IE7:

CGI::Session::CookieStore::CookieOverflow  
(CGI::Session::CookieStore::CookieOverflow):  
c:/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.1.0/lib/action\_controller/session/cookie\_store.rb:111:in  
`close' c:/ruby/lib/ruby/1.8/cgi/session.rb:324:in`close’  
c:/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.1.0/lib/action\_controller/base.rb:1231:in  
`close_session' c:/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.1.0/lib/action_controller/base.rb:1267:in`process\_cleanup\_without\_session\_management\_support’  
c:/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.1.0/lib/action\_controller/session\_management.rb:140:in  
`process_cleanup_without_components' c:/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.1.0/lib/action_controller/components.rb:162:in`process\_cleanup’  
c:/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.1.0/lib/action\_controller/base.rb:537:in  
`process_without_filters' c:/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.1.0/lib/action_controller/filters.rb:569:in`process\_without\_session\_management\_support’  
c:/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.1.0/lib/action\_controller/session\_management.rb:130:in  
`process' c:/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.1.0/lib/action_controller/base.rb:389:in`process’  
c:/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.1.0/lib/action\_controller/dispatcher.rb:149:in  
`handle_request' c:/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.1.0/lib/action_controller/dispatcher.rb:107:in`dispatch’  
c:/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.1.0/lib/action\_controller/dispatcher.rb:104:in  
`synchronize' c:/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.1.0/lib/action_controller/dispatcher.rb:104:in`dispatch’  
c:/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.1.0/lib/action\_controller/dispatcher.rb:120:in  
`dispatch_cgi' c:/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.1.0/lib/action_controller/dispatcher.rb:35:in`dispatch’  
c:/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/rails-2.1.0/lib/webrick\_server.rb:112:in  
`handle_dispatch' c:/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/rails-2.1.0/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-2.1.0/lib/webrick\_server.rb:62:in  
`dispatch' c:/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/rails-2.1.0/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-2.1.0/lib/active_support/dependencies.rb:509:in`require’  
c:/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/activesupport-2.1.0/lib/active\_support/dependencies.rb:354:in  
`new_constants_in' c:/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/activesupport-2.1.0/lib/active_support/dependencies.rb:509:in`require’  
c:/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/rails-2.1.0/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  
-e:4:in `load’  
-e:4

Rendering  
c:/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.1.0/lib/action\_controller/templates/rescues/layout.erb  
(internal\_server\_error)  
/!\ FAILSAFE /!\ Wed Oct 08 15:08:52 -0600 2008  
Status: 500 Internal Server Error  
CGI::Session::CookieStore::CookieOverflow  
c:/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.1.0/lib/action\_controller/session/cookie\_store.rb:111:in  
`close' c:/ruby/lib/ruby/1.8/cgi/session.rb:324:in`close’  
c:/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.1.0/lib/action\_controller/base.rb:1231:in  
`close_session' c:/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.1.0/lib/action_controller/base.rb:1267:in`process\_cleanup\_without\_session\_management\_support’  
c:/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.1.0/lib/action\_controller/session\_management.rb:140:in  
`process_cleanup_without_components' c:/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.1.0/lib/action_controller/components.rb:162:in`process\_cleanup’  
c:/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.1.0/lib/action\_controller/base.rb:537:in  
`process_without_filters' c:/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.1.0/lib/action_controller/filters.rb:569:in`process\_without\_session\_management\_support’  
c:/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.1.0/lib/action\_controller/session\_management.rb:130:in  
`process' c:/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.1.0/lib/action_controller/base.rb:389:in`process’  
c:/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.1.0/lib/action\_controller/dispatcher.rb:149:in  
`handle_request' c:/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.1.0/lib/action_controller/dispatcher.rb:107:in`dispatch’  
c:/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.1.0/lib/action\_controller/dispatcher.rb:104:in  
`synchronize' c:/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.1.0/lib/action_controller/dispatcher.rb:104:in`dispatch’  
c:/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.1.0/lib/action\_controller/dispatcher.rb:120:in  
`dispatch_cgi' c:/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.1.0/lib/action_controller/dispatcher.rb:35:in`dispatch’  
c:/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/rails-2.1.0/lib/webrick\_server.rb:112:in  
`handle_dispatch' c:/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/rails-2.1.0/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-2.1.0/lib/webrick\_server.rb:62:in  
`dispatch' c:/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/rails-2.1.0/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-2.1.0/lib/active_support/dependencies.rb:509:in`require’  
c:/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/activesupport-2.1.0/lib/active\_support/dependencies.rb:354:in  
`new_constants_in' c:/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/activesupport-2.1.0/lib/active_support/dependencies.rb:509:in`require’  
c:/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/rails-2.1.0/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  
-e:4:in `load’  
-e:4

Sorry for the mess. Anyone know what this means? Thanks,

-S

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![snantz](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/c2a13f/32.png) [@snantz](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/snantz)\
**Post date:** [October 8, 2008, 11:27pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/cookiestore-cookieoverflow/150471/2 "2008-10-08T23:27:25Z")

</div>

Hi,

On Wed, Oct 8, 2008 at 2:16 PM, Shandy N.  
[removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote:

> I have recently upgraded to rails 2.1.0. and since I have, the parts of  
> my app that deal with CookieStore (sessions) has failed to work any  
> longer. In Crome and most other browsers my code simply fails, IE7 is a  
> little more forgiving since I can get logged in and then I can only see  
> certain pages. My session code is pretty simple, a session is created by  
> saying:
> 
> session[:user] = @user

You’re storing too much data. You should generally avoid storing  
‘real’ objects in the session. Instead, just store the ID:

session[:user\_id] = @user.id

…and revivify the actual user object when you need it.

~ j.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![snantz](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/c2a13f/32.png) [@snantz](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/snantz)\
**Post date:** [October 8, 2008, 11:35pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/cookiestore-cookieoverflow/150471/3 "2008-10-08T23:35:45Z")

</div>

John B. wrote:

> You’re storing too much data. You should generally avoid storing  
> ‘real’ objects in the session. Instead, just store the ID:
> 
> session[:user\_id] = @user.id
> 
> …and revivify the actual user object when you need it.
> 
> ~ j.

That was it. Thank you. I wasted a whole day trying to figure it out but  
at least I can now stop pulling my hair out.

-S