# How do I programmatically send a 404 error

**URL:** <https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/how-do-i-programmatically-send-a-404-error/93434>\
**Category:** Rails\
**Created:** [April 3, 2006, 4:33am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/how-do-i-programmatically-send-a-404-error/93434 "2006-04-03T04:33:53Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Scott\_FSWalter](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/5fc32e/32.png) [@Scott\_FSWalter](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Scott_FSWalter)\
**Post date:** [April 3, 2006, 4:33am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/how-do-i-programmatically-send-a-404-error/93434/1 "2006-04-03T04:33:53Z")

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I want to programmatically under certain conditions return a 404 (page  
not found) error to the browser. How can I do this from my controller?

I’m assuming I need to set a header on the reponse obect. However I  
can’t figure out what the header name is.

thanks, scott.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Scott\_FSWalter](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/5fc32e/32.png) [@Scott\_FSWalter](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Scott_FSWalter)\
**Post date:** [April 3, 2006, 4:49am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/how-do-i-programmatically-send-a-404-error/93434/2 "2006-04-03T04:49:23Z")

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Greetings Scott

Yep, you’re right

```
       response.headers["Status"] = "404"

```

cheers,  
Jodi

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Scott\_FSWalter](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/5fc32e/32.png) [@Scott\_FSWalter](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Scott_FSWalter)\
**Post date:** [April 3, 2006, 5:13am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/how-do-i-programmatically-send-a-404-error/93434/3 "2006-04-03T05:13:59Z")

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Is something preventing…

render :nothing =\> true, :status =\> 404

…from being apropos?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Scott\_FSWalter](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/5fc32e/32.png) [@Scott\_FSWalter](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Scott_FSWalter)\
**Post date:** [April 3, 2006, 3:13pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/how-do-i-programmatically-send-a-404-error/93434/4 "2006-04-03T15:13:36Z")

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Edward F. wrote:

> Is something preventing…
> 
> render :nothing =\> true, :status =\> 404
> 
> …from being apropos?

ahh. Much, more,elegant!