# Why does error\_messages\_for take string as param?

**URL:** <https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/why-does-error-messages-for-take-string-as-param/116275>\
**Category:** Rails\
**Created:** [October 4, 2007, 1:14am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/why-does-error-messages-for-take-string-as-param/116275 "2007-10-04T01:14:41Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![ssk](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/82dd89/32.png) [@ssk](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/ssk)\
**Post date:** [October 4, 2007, 1:14am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/why-does-error-messages-for-take-string-as-param/116275/1 "2007-10-04T01:14:41Z")

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Hi,

I wonder why error\_messages\_for take strings as params instead of  
instance variables.

error\_messages\_for ‘user’  
instead of  
error\_messages\_for @user

‘user’ is translated into @user eventually.  
If so, who not take the instance variables directly?  
Is there any reason for that?

Thanks in advance.

Sam

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**Author:** ![ssk](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/82dd89/32.png) [@ssk](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/ssk)\
**Post date:** [October 4, 2007, 10:09am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/why-does-error-messages-for-take-string-as-param/116275/2 "2007-10-04T10:09:05Z")

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Take a look at this patch [http://dev.rubyonrails.org/ticket/9699](http://dev.rubyonrails.org/ticket/9699)

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**Author:** ![ssk](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/82dd89/32.png) [@ssk](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/ssk)\
**Post date:** [October 4, 2007, 5:33pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/why-does-error-messages-for-take-string-as-param/116275/3 "2007-10-04T17:33:46Z")

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Pablo C. wrote:

> Take a look at this patch [http://dev.rubyonrails.org/ticket/9699](http://dev.rubyonrails.org/ticket/9699)

Thanks for the info.  
So now the method definition is officially changed?

Sam

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**Author:** ![ssk](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/82dd89/32.png) [@ssk](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/ssk)\
**Post date:** [October 4, 2007, 5:59pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/why-does-error-messages-for-take-string-as-param/116275/4 "2007-10-04T17:59:59Z")

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On 4 Oct 2007, at 16:33, Sam K. wrote:

> Pablo C. wrote:
> 
> > Take a look at this patch [http://dev.rubyonrails.org/ticket/9699](http://dev.rubyonrails.org/ticket/9699)
> 
> Thanks for the info.  
> So now the method definition is officially changed?

Nope - I submitted that patch, but it hasn’t yet been committed.

Fred