ActionView::Template::Error (points is defined by ActiveRecord)

[rfernand]

Before adding the merit gem, I had a model with the points attribute (my Question model).

Now that gives this problem when trying to use a question in a rails form:

ActionView::Template::Error (points is defined by ActiveRecord)

And if I try to create a new Question:

irb(main):005:0* Question.new
ActiveRecord::DangerousAttributeError: points is defined by ActiveRecord
        from /usr/lib/ruby/gems/1.9.1/gems/activerecord-3.1.3/lib/active_record/attribute_methods.rb:38:in `instance_method_already_implemented?'
        from /usr/lib/ruby/gems/1.9.1/gems/activemodel-3.1.3/lib/active_model/attribute_methods.rb:287:in `block in define_attribute_method'
        from /usr/lib/ruby/gems/1.9.1/gems/activemodel-3.1.3/lib/active_model/attribute_methods.rb:286:in `each'
        from /usr/lib/ruby/gems/1.9.1/gems/activemodel-3.1.3/lib/active_model/attribute_methods.rb:286:in `define_attribute_method'
        from /usr/lib/ruby/gems/1.9.1/gems/activemodel-3.1.3/lib/active_model/attribute_methods.rb:282:in `block in define_attribute_methods'
        from /usr/lib/ruby/gems/1.9.1/gems/activemodel-3.1.3/lib/active_model/attribute_methods.rb:282:in `each'
        from /usr/lib/ruby/gems/1.9.1/gems/activemodel-3.1.3/lib/active_model/attribute_methods.rb:282:in `define_attribute_methods'
        from /usr/lib/ruby/gems/1.9.1/gems/activerecord-3.1.3/lib/active_record/attribute_methods.rb:14:in `define_attribute_methods'
        from /usr/lib/ruby/gems/1.9.1/gems/activerecord-3.1.3/lib/active_record/attribute_methods.rb:65:in `respond_to?'
        from /usr/lib/ruby/gems/1.9.1/gems/activerecord-3.1.3/lib/active_record/attribute_methods/read.rb:103:in `read_attribute'
        from /usr/lib/ruby/gems/1.9.1/gems/activerecord-3.1.3/lib/active_record/base.rb:1780:in `attribute_for_inspect'
        from /usr/lib/ruby/gems/1.9.1/gems/activerecord-3.1.3/lib/active_record/base.rb:1897:in `block in inspect'
        from /usr/lib/ruby/gems/1.9.1/gems/activerecord-3.1.3/lib/active_record/base.rb:1895:in `collect'
        from /usr/lib/ruby/gems/1.9.1/gems/activerecord-3.1.3/lib/active_record/base.rb:1895:in `inspect'
        from /usr/lib/ruby/gems/1.9.1/gems/railties-3.1.3/lib/rails/commands/console.rb:45:in `start'
        from /usr/lib/ruby/gems/1.9.1/gems/railties-3.1.3/lib/rails/commands/console.rb:8:in `start'
        from /usr/lib/ruby/gems/1.9.1/gems/railties-3.1.3/lib/rails/commands.rb:40:in `<top (required)>'
        from script/rails:6:in `require'
        from script/rails:6:in `<main>'irb(main):006:0> 

Is there a way to avoid this problem without renaming the "points" attribute of my models?

Greetings,

EDIT: Adding the gem 'safe_attributes' to the Gemfile fixes the problem (obtained from http://stackoverflow.com/questions/7718651/activerecorddangerousattributeerror)

EDIT 2: After adding the safe_attributes gem, there is still a problem when trying to save something over the points attribute:

NameError (undefined local variable or method `sash' for #<Question:0x00000003b9b308>):
  app/controllers/admin/games_controller.rb:96:in `block (2 levels) in create'
  app/controllers/admin/games_controller.rb:92:in `each'
  app/controllers/admin/games_controller.rb:92:in `block in create'
  app/controllers/admin/games_controller.rb:69:in `create'

EDIT 3: Adding to the Question model:

  def points
    self[:points]
  end 
  def sash
    self.points
  end 

Seems to fix it. I will continue testing this, maybe more problems can arise from this.

[tute]

There's a recent commit in a fork which renames points to sum_points inside of model_additions.rb in jruizes@1f7ceee.

I'll take a look at what's happening, and if it's better I'll rename it to total_points.

Thanks for your feedback!

[tute]

Meanwhile you may monkey patch ActiveRecord so you can work: http://stackoverflow.com/a/1515571/356060 (valid is points in this case).

[rfernand]

I also tried with the fix for DangerousAtrributeError from the UPDATE notice[1], but did not work for me (the monkey patch method). The environment is Rails 3.1.3.

[1]: If you get an ActiveRecord::DangerousAttributeError: points exception, you may need to temporarily tweak your meritable model, as explained in http://stackoverflow.com/a/1515571/356060.

Thanks for your quick response.
I will try with the fork you mentioned!

[tute]

More: I'll rename the method name as it may collide with ActiveRecord.

Anyway you may need to change that attribute name in your application: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/7718651/activerecorddangerousattributeerror

[tute]

Pretty sure it's coming from your Question model, monkey patch that one also, and if it works then rename the attribute.

[rfernand]

I tried the gem 'safe_attributes' from http://stackoverflow.com/questions/7718651/activerecorddangerousattributeerror and it fixed the problem!

Thanks for your lighting-fast responses!

[tute]

Happy it works for now! :-) But there is a design flaw inside of merit.

Rails raises ActiveRecord::DangerousAttributeError if it sees a method on your model is already defined in ActiveRecord::Base. But merit is adding many methods to AR::Base, one being points. So not only is merit polluting AR::Base with specific methods, but also It's not allowing client apps to have that common attribute name.

I'll leave this issue open until I rework that. Thanks for the feedback!

[rfernand]

Understood! Thanks for the great work!

[rfernand]

Bummer! After adding the safe_attributes gem, there is still a problem when trying to save something over the points attribute:

NameError (undefined local variable or method `sash' for #<Question:0x00000003b9b308>):
  app/controllers/admin/games_controller.rb:96:in `block (2 levels) in create'
  app/controllers/admin/games_controller.rb:92:in `each'
  app/controllers/admin/games_controller.rb:92:in `block in create'
  app/controllers/admin/games_controller.rb:69:in `create'

Any idea how to hack the create method to avoid this error?

EDIT: Adding to the Question model:

  def points
    self[:points]
  end 
  def sash
    self.points
  end 

Seems to fix it. I will continue testing this, maybe more problems can arise from this.

[tute]

Why does a Question need a sash? Is it "meritable"? If not, please paste your rules in a gist.
Anyway sash should be invisible to the app.

[rfernand]

It is not "meritable", but somehow when calling Question.points in the create method it asked for it.

[tute]

There's the method names collision, the reason for the exception.

Merit needs to add the points method only to meritable models instead of to AR::Base. Relevant code in https://github.com/tute/merit/blob/master/lib/merit/model_additions.rb#L26-52

Maybe I can review it tomorrow or this weekend.

[tute]

Hi @rfernand! Apparently latest commit (4347347) fixes the issue. Could you please try with git's version? If it works fine, I'll release a new minor version.
Thanks!

[rfernand]

Ok, tested again with the git version of merit and it seems to work fine now.

I removed the code from Question that I had to add before:

#  def points
#    self[:points]
#  end 
#  def sash
#    self.points
#  end 

And tested create, new, save, question.points. No more annoying problems were found!

Also tested user.points, adding badges/points to user, all with no problems.

Thanks!

[tute]

Awesome, you may use version 1.1.0 now.
Thanks for your help!