Path defined in controller and action is getting ignored, Ruby on Rails

Question

According to http://guides.rubyonrails.org/layouts_and_rendering.html

I should be able to define the path from a different controller as I have done in my create action in my micropostscontroller:

def create
      @micropost = current_user.microposts.build(params[:micropost])
      if @micropost.save
        flash[:success] = "Micropost created!"
        redirect_to profile_path
      else
        render 'static_pages/profile'
      end
    end

When I unsuccessfully create a post, however (leave it blank or make it too long), the page '/microposts' is rendered, the nonexistent home page of the controller. When I successfully create a micropost I am redirected to the profile path '/profile', and when I've changed render 'static_pages/profile' to redirect_to profile_path the redirect works. Why is the browser ignoring the render request and going to the microposts controller home?

Additionally, the rendered microposts page gives a NoMethodError:

NoMethodError in Microposts#create

undefined method `name' for nil:NilClass

<% provide(:title, @user.name) %>

app/views/static_pages/profile.html.erb:16:in `_app_views_static_pages_profile_html_erb___1610169404003779010_70327969935820'
app/controllers/microposts_controller.rb:10:in `create'

The profile renders fine on its own when when redirected to, as @user is defined in profile action in the static_pages controller. @user = User.find_by_remember_token(cookies[:remember_token])

niiru niiru · Accepted Answer · 2012-04-12T16:55:49

Your create method is attempting to render 'app/views/static_pages/profile.html.erb', but you haven't given it a @user to render. If you revise your code this way it should work:

def create
  @micropost = current_user.microposts.build(params[:micropost])
  if @micropost.save
    flash[:success] = "Micropost created!"
    redirect_to profile_path
  else
    @user = current_user # Add this line!
    render 'static_pages/profile'
  end
end

Note that the path of the microposts#create method is /microposts, so that will still show in your address bar unless you use redirect_to instead of render.

Path defined in controller and action is getting ignored, Ruby on Rails

2 Answers