# Routes.rb error - messes up view - rails 2.0

**URL:** <https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/routes-rb-error-messes-up-view-rails-2-0/125879>\
**Category:** Rails\
**Created:** [January 13, 2008, 7:22am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/routes-rb-error-messes-up-view-rails-2-0/125879 "2008-01-13T07:22:32Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![harpoon45](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/h/53a042/32.png) [@harpoon45](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/harpoon45)\
**Post date:** [January 13, 2008, 7:22am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/routes-rb-error-messes-up-view-rails-2-0/125879/1 "2008-01-13T07:22:32Z")

</div>

I have a simple RoR project where I have a table (Story) with stories  
and links. I added a 3rd param in another table (permalink) and linked  
it.

Now I want to access the records from Story using the permalink

In the console I can do the following:

> > s = Story.find\_by\_permalink(“weblog”)  
> > =\> #\<Story id: 1, name: “my weblog”, link: “[http://mywelog.com](http://mywelog.com)”,  
> > created\_at: “2008-01-06 02:25:36”, updated\_at: “2008-01-12 19:29:41”,  
> > permalink: “weblog”\>

this is the result I was expecting.

Now moving on to the controller, I have in there:

def show  
@story = Story.find\_by\_permalink(params[:permalink])  
end

and in the view I have:

My Story

## \<%= @story.name %\>

\<%= link\_to @story.link, @story.link %\>

I also updated the routes.rb file, adding in there:  
map.story ‘story/show/:permalink’, :controller =\> ‘story’, :action =\>  
‘show’

Now when I run the server, and type in:  
[http://localhost:3000/story/show/weblog](http://localhost:3000/story/show/weblog)

I get the following error:

NoMethodError in Story#show

Showing story/show.rhtml where line #2 raised:

You have a nil object when you didn’t expect it!  
The error occurred while evaluating nil.name

Extracted source (around line #2):

1:

My Story

  
2: 
## \<%= @story.name %\>
  
3: 

\<%= link\_to @story.link, @story.link %\>

RAILS\_ROOT: /home/hkhan/digg  
Application Trace | Framework Trace | Full Trace

app/views/story/show.rhtml:2:in  
`\_run\_erb\_47app47views47story47show46rhtml’

/usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.0.2/lib/action\_view/base.rb:637:in  
`send' /usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.0.2/lib/action_view/base.rb:637:in `compile\_and\_render\_template’  
/usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.0.2/lib/action\_view/base.rb:365:in  
`render_template' /usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.0.2/lib/action_view/base.rb:316:in `render\_file’  
/usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.0.2/lib/action\_controller/base.rb:1100:in  
`render_for_file' /usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.0.2/lib/action_controller/base.rb:836:in `render\_with\_no\_layout’  
/usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.0.2/lib/action\_controller/layout.rb:262:in  
`render_without_benchmark' /usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.0.2/lib/action_controller/benchmarking.rb:51:in `render’  
/usr/local/lib/ruby/1.8/benchmark.rb:293:in `measure' /usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.0.2/lib/action_controller/benchmarking.rb:51:in `render’  
/usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.0.2/lib/action\_controller/base.rb:1153:in  
`default_render' /usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.0.2/lib/action_controller/base.rb:1159:in `perform\_action\_without\_filters’  
/usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.0.2/lib/action\_controller/filters.rb:697:in  
`call_filters' /usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.0.2/lib/action_controller/filters.rb:689:in `perform\_action\_without\_benchmark’  
/usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.0.2/lib/action\_controller/benchmarking.rb:68:in  
`perform_action_without_rescue' /usr/local/lib/ruby/1.8/benchmark.rb:293:in `measure’  
/usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.0.2/lib/action\_controller/benchmarking.rb:68:in  
`perform_action_without_rescue' /usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.0.2/lib/action_controller/rescue.rb:199:in `perform\_action\_without\_caching’  
/usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.0.2/lib/action\_controller/caching.rb:678:in  
`perform_action' /usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/activerecord-2.0.2/lib/active_record/connection_adapters/abstract/query_cache.rb:33:in `cache’  
/usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/activerecord-2.0.2/lib/active\_record/query\_cache.rb:8:in  
`cache' /usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.0.2/lib/action_controller/caching.rb:677:in `perform\_action’  
/usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.0.2/lib/action\_controller/base.rb:524:in  
`send' /usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.0.2/lib/action_controller/base.rb:524:in `process\_without\_filters’  
/usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.0.2/lib/action\_controller/filters.rb:685:in  
`process_without_session_management_support' /usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.0.2/lib/action_controller/session_management.rb:123:in `process’  
/usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.0.2/lib/action\_controller/base.rb:388:in  
`process' /usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.0.2/lib/action_controller/dispatcher.rb:171:in `handle\_request’  
/usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.0.2/lib/action\_controller/dispatcher.rb:115:in  
`dispatch' /usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.0.2/lib/action_controller/dispatcher.rb:126:in `dispatch\_cgi’  
/usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.0.2/lib/action\_controller/dispatcher.rb:9:in  
`dispatch' /usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/rails-2.0.2/lib/webrick_server.rb:112:in `handle\_dispatch’  
/usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/rails-2.0.2/lib/webrick\_server.rb:78:in  
`service' /usr/local/lib/ruby/1.8/webrick/httpserver.rb:104:in `service’  
/usr/local/lib/ruby/1.8/webrick/httpserver.rb:65:in `run' /usr/local/lib/ruby/1.8/webrick/server.rb:173:in `start\_thread’  
/usr/local/lib/ruby/1.8/webrick/server.rb:162:in `start' /usr/local/lib/ruby/1.8/webrick/server.rb:162:in `start\_thread’  
/usr/local/lib/ruby/1.8/webrick/server.rb:95:in `start' /usr/local/lib/ruby/1.8/webrick/server.rb:92:in `each’  
/usr/local/lib/ruby/1.8/webrick/server.rb:92:in `start' /usr/local/lib/ruby/1.8/webrick/server.rb:23:in `start’  
/usr/local/lib/ruby/1.8/webrick/server.rb:82:in `start' /usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/rails-2.0.2/lib/webrick_server.rb:62:in `dispatch’  
/usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/rails-2.0.2/lib/commands/servers/webrick.rb:66  
/usr/local/lib/ruby/site\_ruby/1.8/rubygems/custom\_require.rb:27:in  
`gem_original_require' /usr/local/lib/ruby/site_ruby/1.8/rubygems/custom_require.rb:27:in `require’  
/usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/activesupport-2.0.2/lib/active\_support/dependencies.rb:496:in  
`require' /usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/activesupport-2.0.2/lib/active_support/dependencies.rb:342:in `new\_constants\_in’  
/usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/activesupport-2.0.2/lib/active\_support/dependencies.rb:496:in  
`require' /usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/rails-2.0.2/lib/commands/server.rb:39 /usr/local/lib/ruby/site_ruby/1.8/rubygems/custom_require.rb:27:in `gem\_original\_require’  
/usr/local/lib/ruby/site\_ruby/1.8/rubygems/custom\_require.rb:27:in  
`require’  
script/server:3

app/views/story/show.rhtml:2:in  
`_run_erb_47app47views47story47show46rhtml' /usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.0.2/lib/action_view/base.rb:637:in `send’  
/usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.0.2/lib/action\_view/base.rb:637:in  
`compile_and_render_template' /usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.0.2/lib/action_view/base.rb:365:in `render\_template’  
/usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.0.2/lib/action\_view/base.rb:316:in  
`render_file' /usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.0.2/lib/action_controller/base.rb:1100:in `render\_for\_file’  
/usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.0.2/lib/action\_controller/base.rb:836:in  
`render_with_no_layout' /usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.0.2/lib/action_controller/layout.rb:262:in `render\_without\_benchmark’  
/usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.0.2/lib/action\_controller/benchmarking.rb:51:in  
`render' /usr/local/lib/ruby/1.8/benchmark.rb:293:in `measure’  
/usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.0.2/lib/action\_controller/benchmarking.rb:51:in  
`render' /usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.0.2/lib/action_controller/base.rb:1153:in `default\_render’  
/usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.0.2/lib/action\_controller/base.rb:1159:in  
`perform_action_without_filters' /usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.0.2/lib/action_controller/filters.rb:697:in `call\_filters’  
/usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.0.2/lib/action\_controller/filters.rb:689:in  
`perform_action_without_benchmark' /usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.0.2/lib/action_controller/benchmarking.rb:68:in `perform\_action\_without\_rescue’  
/usr/local/lib/ruby/1.8/benchmark.rb:293:in `measure' /usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.0.2/lib/action_controller/benchmarking.rb:68:in `perform\_action\_without\_rescue’  
/usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.0.2/lib/action\_controller/rescue.rb:199:in  
`perform_action_without_caching' /usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.0.2/lib/action_controller/caching.rb:678:in `perform\_action’  
/usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/activerecord-2.0.2/lib/active\_record/connection\_adapters/abstract/query\_cache.rb:33:in  
`cache' /usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/activerecord-2.0.2/lib/active_record/query_cache.rb:8:in `cache’  
/usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.0.2/lib/action\_controller/caching.rb:677:in  
`perform_action' /usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.0.2/lib/action_controller/base.rb:524:in `send’  
/usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.0.2/lib/action\_controller/base.rb:524:in  
`process_without_filters' /usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.0.2/lib/action_controller/filters.rb:685:in `process\_without\_session\_management\_support’  
/usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.0.2/lib/action\_controller/session\_management.rb:123:in  
`process' /usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.0.2/lib/action_controller/base.rb:388:in `process’  
/usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.0.2/lib/action\_controller/dispatcher.rb:171:in  
`handle_request' /usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.0.2/lib/action_controller/dispatcher.rb:115:in `dispatch’  
/usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.0.2/lib/action\_controller/dispatcher.rb:126:in  
`dispatch_cgi' /usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.0.2/lib/action_controller/dispatcher.rb:9:in `dispatch’  
/usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/rails-2.0.2/lib/webrick\_server.rb:112:in  
`handle_dispatch' /usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/rails-2.0.2/lib/webrick_server.rb:78:in `service’  
/usr/local/lib/ruby/1.8/webrick/httpserver.rb:104:in `service' /usr/local/lib/ruby/1.8/webrick/httpserver.rb:65:in `run’  
/usr/local/lib/ruby/1.8/webrick/server.rb:173:in `start_thread' /usr/local/lib/ruby/1.8/webrick/server.rb:162:in `start’  
/usr/local/lib/ruby/1.8/webrick/server.rb:162:in `start_thread' /usr/local/lib/ruby/1.8/webrick/server.rb:95:in `start’  
/usr/local/lib/ruby/1.8/webrick/server.rb:92:in `each' /usr/local/lib/ruby/1.8/webrick/server.rb:92:in `start’  
/usr/local/lib/ruby/1.8/webrick/server.rb:23:in `start' /usr/local/lib/ruby/1.8/webrick/server.rb:82:in `start’  
/usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/rails-2.0.2/lib/webrick\_server.rb:62:in  
`dispatch' /usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/rails-2.0.2/lib/commands/servers/webrick.rb:66 /usr/local/lib/ruby/site_ruby/1.8/rubygems/custom_require.rb:27:in `gem\_original\_require’  
/usr/local/lib/ruby/site\_ruby/1.8/rubygems/custom\_require.rb:27:in  
`require' /usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/activesupport-2.0.2/lib/active_support/dependencies.rb:496:in `require’  
/usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/activesupport-2.0.2/lib/active\_support/dependencies.rb:342:in  
`new_constants_in' /usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/activesupport-2.0.2/lib/active_support/dependencies.rb:496:in `require’  
/usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/rails-2.0.2/lib/commands/server.rb:39  
/usr/local/lib/ruby/site\_ruby/1.8/rubygems/custom\_require.rb:27:in  
`gem_original_require' /usr/local/lib/ruby/site_ruby/1.8/rubygems/custom_require.rb:27:in `require’  
script/server:3

Request

Parameters:

{“id”=\>“weblog”}

Show session dump

* * *

:csrf\_id: d13a9d7dbf67db04912fb3bdfe1dc0bc  
flash: !map:ActionController::Flash::FlashHash {}

Response

Headers:

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

But if I change the controller to:  
def show  
#@story = Story.find\_by\_permalink(params[:permalink])  
@story = Story.find\_by\_id(params[:id])  
end

and then do:  
[http://localhost:3000/story/show/1](http://localhost:3000/story/show/1)

Then I get the correct output.

Any ideas???

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![harpoon45](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/h/53a042/32.png) [@harpoon45](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/harpoon45)\
**Post date:** [January 22, 2008, 10:39am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/routes-rb-error-messes-up-view-rails-2-0/125879/2 "2008-01-22T10:39:03Z")

</div>

On 13 Jan 2008, at 06:22, Harp Oon wrote:

> I also updated the routes.rb file, adding in there:  
> map.story ‘story/show/:permalink’, :controller =\> ‘story’, :action =\>  
> ‘show’

Where did you add this line in the routes file? For it to take  
priority over the route where the parameter is :id (ie the default  
route, or what you get with map.resources) it needs to be higher up in  
the file.

Fred

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![harpoon45](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/h/53a042/32.png) [@harpoon45](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/harpoon45)\
**Post date:** [March 22, 2008, 6:33am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/routes-rb-error-messes-up-view-rails-2-0/125879/3 "2008-03-22T06:33:12Z")

</div>

This could be if the new field :permalink is not populated in the  
database yet!  
find\_by\_permalink looks into the database, and finds a column of nil  
records,  
so controller sends a nil @story into the view.  
The error is picked up in the view where it evaluates @story.name

On Jan 22, 2:37 am, Frederick C. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid)