# How to create a simple loop counter **URL:** \ **Category:** Rails\ **Created:** [March 17, 2009, 4:05pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/how-to-create-a-simple-loop-counter/163133 "2009-03-17T16:05:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![jmaenpaa](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@jmaenpaa](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/jmaenpaa)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2009, 4:05pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/how-to-create-a-simple-loop-counter/163133/1 "2009-03-17T16:05:42Z")
Hi all, ``` as you may have gathered I am a newbie to rails and programming. I ``` want to count the number of enquiries in the database and produce it as a number in the view preferably in the index page. All I want is the number of items in the database and everytime ones added or deleted the number will go up or down. Something like this: Enquries Today: ‘whatever the number of them are’ Thank you clever people!!! Your help you been greatly appreciated ---
**Author:** ![jmaenpaa](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@jmaenpaa](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/jmaenpaa)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2009, 4:27pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/how-to-create-a-simple-loop-counter/163133/2 "2009-03-17T16:27:55Z")
On 17 Mar., 16:05, Nish P. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > Enquries Today: ‘whatever the number of them are’ > > Thank you clever people!!! Assuming the name of your model is Item, you can do it this way: Enquries Today: \<%= Item.count %\> Just replace “Item” with whatever your model is called. #count is a method provided by ActiveRecord, that will return the number of records in the table that the table belongs to, “items” for example. – Cheers, David K. [http://twitter.com/rubyguy](http://twitter.com/rubyguy) ---
**Author:** ![jmaenpaa](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@jmaenpaa](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/jmaenpaa)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2009, 4:29pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/how-to-create-a-simple-loop-counter/163133/3 "2009-03-17T16:29:05Z")
On 17 Mar., 16:27, “removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid” [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > Just replace “Item” with whatever your model is called. #count is a > method provided by ActiveRecord, that will return the number of > records in the table that the table belongs to, “items” for example. - in the model that the table belongs to, “items” for example. ---
**Author:** ![jmaenpaa](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@jmaenpaa](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/jmaenpaa)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2009, 4:30pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/how-to-create-a-simple-loop-counter/163133/4 "2009-03-17T16:30:15Z")
On 17 Mar., 16:28, “removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid” [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > > > Thank you clever people!!! > > > Assuming the name of your model is Item, you can do it this way: > > > Enquries Today: \<%= Item.count %\> > > > Just replace “Item” with whatever your model is called. #count is a > > method provided by ActiveRecord, that will return the number of > > records in the table that the table belongs to, “items” for example. > > - in the model that the table belongs to, “items” for example. Argh, in the table that model belongs to, of course. So sorry. 😕 ---
**Author:** ![jmaenpaa](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@jmaenpaa](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/jmaenpaa)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2009, 4:33pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/how-to-create-a-simple-loop-counter/163133/5 "2009-03-17T16:33:42Z")
removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid wrote: > On 17 Mar., 16:28, “removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid” [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > > > > > Thank you clever people!!! > > > > > Assuming the name of your model is Item, you can do it this way: > > > > > Enquries Today: \<%= Item.count %\> > > > > > Just replace “Item” with whatever your model is called. #count is a > > > method provided by ActiveRecord, that will return the number of > > > records in the table that the table belongs to, “items” for example. > > > > - in the model that the table belongs to, “items” for example. > > Argh, in the table that model belongs to, of course. So sorry. 😕 Hi thankyou for that very quick reply but I getting: undefined method `count’ for #Enquiry:0x41698fc I am placing this in my index page like this: Enquries Today: \<%= enquiry.count %\> thanks again ---
**Author:** ![jmaenpaa](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@jmaenpaa](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/jmaenpaa)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2009, 4:45pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/how-to-create-a-simple-loop-counter/163133/6 "2009-03-17T16:45:44Z")
Thank you for your help, that works fine now!! ---
**Author:** ![jmaenpaa](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@jmaenpaa](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/jmaenpaa)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2009, 4:42pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/how-to-create-a-simple-loop-counter/163133/7 "2009-03-17T16:42:04Z")
On 17 Mar., 16:33, Nish P. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > > > > method provided by ActiveRecord, that will return the number of > > > > I am placing this in my index page like this: > > Enquries Today: \<%= enquiry.count %\> Oh, that’s probably because “enquiry” is a local variable. You need to call the #count _class method_ on your model. So you’ll have to do it like this: Enquries Today: \<%= Enquiry.count %\> Notice, I use a capital E. The #count method is not available on instances of Enquiry (a specific record in your database), but as a class method of your model. “Enquiry” in your case. – Cheers, David K. [http://twitter.com/rubyguy](http://twitter.com/rubyguy)