# Help with authentication errors

**URL:** <https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/help-with-authentication-errors/133083>\
**Category:** Rails\
**Created:** [March 27, 2008, 3:40pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/help-with-authentication-errors/133083 "2008-03-27T15:40:59Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![asjohns1](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/839c29/32.png) [@asjohns1](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/asjohns1)\
**Post date:** [March 27, 2008, 3:40pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/help-with-authentication-errors/133083/1 "2008-03-27T15:40:59Z")

</div>

Hello,

I have been working through two books, “Agile Web D. with  
Rails, 2nd Ed.” and “Ajax on Rails”. I’m using Rails2.0. In both cases,  
I run into an authentication error when doing the examples. In AWDwR,  
when trying to add new information to the database (p. 68) I get

ActionController::InvalidAuthenticityToken in AdminController#create

ActionController::InvalidAuthenticityToken

RAILS\_ROOT: C:/ruby/myprojects/ajaxonrails  
Application Trace | Framework Trace | Full Trace

c:/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.0.2/lib/action\_controller/request\_forgery\_protection.rb:79:in  
`verify_authenticity_token' c:/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.0.2/lib/action_controller/filters.rb:469:in`send!’  
c:/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.0.2/lib/action\_controller/filters.rb:469:in  
`call' c:/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.0.2/lib/action_controller/filters.rb:441:in`run’  
c:/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.0.2/lib/action\_controller/filters.rb:716:in  
`run_before_filters' c:/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.0.2/lib/action_controller/filters.rb:695:in`call\_filters’  
c:/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.0.2/lib/action\_controller/filters.rb:689:in  
`perform_action_without_benchmark' c:/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.0.2/lib/action_controller/benchmarking.rb:68:in`perform\_action\_without\_rescue’  
c:/ruby/lib/ruby/1.8/benchmark.rb:293:in `measure' c:/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.0.2/lib/action_controller/benchmarking.rb:68:in`perform\_action\_without\_rescue’  
c:/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.0.2/lib/action\_controller/rescue.rb:199:in  
`perform_action_without_caching' c:/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.0.2/lib/action_controller/caching.rb:678:in`perform\_action’  
c:/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/activerecord-2.0.2/lib/active\_record/connection\_adapters/abstract/query\_cache.rb:33:in  
`cache' 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

c:/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.0.2/lib/action\_controller/request\_forgery\_protection.rb:79:in  
`verify_authenticity_token' c:/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.0.2/lib/action_controller/filters.rb:469:in`send!’  
c:/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.0.2/lib/action\_controller/filters.rb:469:in  
`call' c:/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.0.2/lib/action_controller/filters.rb:441:in`run’  
c:/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.0.2/lib/action\_controller/filters.rb:716:in  
`run_before_filters' c:/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.0.2/lib/action_controller/filters.rb:695:in`call\_filters’  
c:/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.0.2/lib/action\_controller/filters.rb:689:in  
`perform_action_without_benchmark' c:/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.0.2/lib/action_controller/benchmarking.rb:68:in`perform\_action\_without\_rescue’  
c:/ruby/lib/ruby/1.8/benchmark.rb:293:in `measure' c:/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.0.2/lib/action_controller/benchmarking.rb:68:in`perform\_action\_without\_rescue’  
c:/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.0.2/lib/action\_controller/rescue.rb:199:in  
`perform_action_without_caching' c:/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.0.2/lib/action_controller/caching.rb:678:in`perform\_action’  
c:/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/activerecord-2.0.2/lib/active\_record/connection\_adapters/abstract/query\_cache.rb:33:in  
`cache' 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

Request

Parameters:

{“commit”=\>“Create”,  
“product”=\>{“image\_url”=\>“blah”,  
“title”=\>“blah”,  
“description”=\>“blah”}}

Show session dump

* * *

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

Response

Headers:

{“cookie”=\>[],  
“Cache-Control”=\>“no-cache”}

I tried uncommenting :secret on the protect\_from\_forgery line in  
application.rb, but that didn’t work.

My second authentication error is when I put the code in to use  
prototype.js using the example in AoR on p. 24.

The html that gets generated for display looks like:

 Action Controller: Exception caught body { background-color: #fff; color: #333; } body, p, ol, ul, td { font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; } pre { background-color: #eee; padding: 10px; font-size: 11px; } a { color: #000; } a:visited { color: #666; } a:hover { color: #fff; background-color:#000; } 
# 

ActionController::InvalidAuthenticityToken

```
in Chapter2Controller#myresponse

```

```
ActionController::InvalidAuthenticityToken
```

`RAILS_ROOT: C:/ruby/myprojects/ajaxonrails`

```
<a href="#"

```

onclick="document.getElementById(‘Framework-Trace’).style.display=‘none’;document.getElementById

(‘Full-Trace’).style.display=‘none’;document.getElementById(‘Application-Trace’).style.display=‘block’

;; return false;"\>Application Trace |

```
<a href="#"

```

onclick="document.getElementById(‘Application-Trace’).style.display=‘none’;document.getElementById

(‘Full-Trace’).style.display=‘none’;document.getElementById(‘Framework-Trace’).style.display=‘block’

;; return false;"\>Framework Trace |

```
<a href="#"

```

onclick="document.getElementById(‘Application-Trace’).style.display=‘none’;document.getElementById

(‘Framework-Trace’).style.display=‘none’;document.getElementById(‘Full-Trace’).style.display=‘block’

;; return false;"\>Full Trace

So, I’m lost. Any ideas???

Thanks,

Amy

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![asjohns1](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/839c29/32.png) [@asjohns1](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/asjohns1)\
**Post date:** [March 27, 2008, 3:55pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/help-with-authentication-errors/133083/2 "2008-03-27T15:55:15Z")

</div>

Amy,

Not exactly sure what your problem could be but AWDwR 2ed was written  
for Rails 1.2. I would first try installing the rails 1.2.6 gem and  
setting your RAILS\_GEM\_VERSION (in environment.rb) to 1.2.6.

On Mar 27, 8:40 am, Amy J. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![asjohns1](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/839c29/32.png) [@asjohns1](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/asjohns1)\
**Post date:** [March 27, 2008, 4:00pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/help-with-authentication-errors/133083/3 "2008-03-27T16:00:39Z")

</div>

forgery protection was added in Rails 2.x. You can make it simpler to  
track with the texts by turning it off. Update or add the following  
line in /config/environments/xxx.rb:

# Disable request forgery protection

config.action\_controller.allow\_forgery\_protection = false

More here:  
[http://www.railsbrain.com/api/rails-2.0.2/doc/index.html?a=M000305&name=protect\_from\_forgery](http://www.railsbrain.com/api/rails-2.0.2/doc/index.html?a=M000305&name=protect_from_forgery)

On Mar 27, 10:40 am, Amy J. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![asjohns1](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/839c29/32.png) [@asjohns1](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/asjohns1)\
**Post date:** [March 27, 2008, 7:31pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/help-with-authentication-errors/133083/4 "2008-03-27T19:31:14Z")

</div>

AndyV wrote:

> forgery protection was added in Rails 2.x. You can make it simpler to  
> track with the texts by turning it off. Update or add the following  
> line in /config/environments/xxx.rb:
> 
> # Disable request forgery protection
> 
> config.action\_controller.allow\_forgery\_protection = false
> 
> More here:  
> [http://www.railsbrain.com/api/rails-2.0.2/doc/index.html?a=M000305&name=protect\_from\_forgery](http://www.railsbrain.com/api/rails-2.0.2/doc/index.html?a=M000305&name=protect_from_forgery)
> 
> On Mar 27, 10:40 am, Amy J. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid)

Thanks Andy, that took care of it without my having to revert to an  
earlier version. Now I can work through the books and figure out what  
I’m doing.

Take care,

amy