# Error\_messages\_for question

**URL:** <https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/error-messages-for-question/175486>\
**Category:** Rails\
**Created:** [September 14, 2009, 4:11pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/error-messages-for-question/175486 "2009-09-14T16:11:25Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![aldoitalo](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/a587f6/32.png) [@aldoitalo](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/aldoitalo)\
**Post date:** [September 14, 2009, 4:11pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/error-messages-for-question/175486/1 "2009-09-14T16:11:25Z")

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a question about error\_messages\_for:

when i retrieve the error messages the error\_messages\_for display a list  
errors with the name of input followed the customizable string error.

But if i want to change the name of input on the error message how can i  
do?  
imagine for example i need to translate the errors messages in various  
languages…

---

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**Author:** ![aldoitalo](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/a587f6/32.png) [@aldoitalo](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/aldoitalo)\
**Post date:** [September 14, 2009, 4:32pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/error-messages-for-question/175486/2 "2009-09-14T16:32:47Z")

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You just need to use rails’ built-in i18n feature.

Drop a en.yml in config/locales with content like this:

en:  
activerecord:  
models:  
user: “User”  
attributes:  
user:  
login: “user name”  
errors:  
messages:  
blank: ‘should not be blank’

* * *

in model:  
validates\_presence\_of :login

* * *

in environment.rb:  
config.i18n.default\_locale = :en

Then if the user doesn’t enter a user name for the login field, the  
error message will be like this:  
user name should not be blank

–  
James

> **[James Chen - a freelance full stack developer & consultant](https://ashchan.com)**
>
> James Chen’s a Ruby / Rails / iOS / Mac freelance developer/consultant based in Hangzhou, China and Tokyo, Japan.

On Sep 14, 10:11 pm, Aldo I. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid)

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![aldoitalo](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/a587f6/32.png) [@aldoitalo](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/aldoitalo)\
**Post date:** [September 14, 2009, 4:56pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/error-messages-for-question/175486/3 "2009-09-14T16:56:30Z")

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and if i don’t use an activerecord model?  
thanks