undefined method `length' for nil:NilClass

Question

When I create a new user and view the user's profile Im getting the following error I think because the user has not created a status yet:

undefined method `length' for nil:NilClass

It's coming from Status_form:

<%= form_for [@status], :url => user_status_path(current_user) do |f| %>
  <div class="field">
    <%= f.text_area :content, id:"status_box", maxlength:350, placeholder: "Say something." %>
  </div>
  <%= f.submit "Update", id:"status_btn", class: "btn btn-small btn-primary" %>

  <span id="counter">Characters left: <%= 350 - @status.content.length %></span> #this is the source of the error

  <script type="text/javascript">
    $('#status_box').keyup(function () {
        var left = 350 - $(this).val().length;
        if (left < 0) {
            left = 0;
        }
        $('#counter').text('Characters left: ' + left);
    });
  </script>
<% end %>

User Controller:

def new
  @user = User.new
end

def create
  @user = User.new(params[:user])
  if @user.save
    sign_in @user
    redirect_to root_path
  else
    render 'new'
  end
end

def show
  @user = User.find(params[:id])
  @status = @user.status || @user.build_status
end

Solution

It is because you have default value nil for content column. So you can't call length on nil. If you want to use length on content you need to set default value as empty string("") or you can use to_s first and then length

   <%= 350 - @status.content.to_s.length %>

or

   <%= 350 - (@status.content.try(:length) || 0) %>

Comments

[Jaqx]

It is. I'm saying I havn't created a status yet thus I get an error from that line. What should i do?

[Kyle d'Oliveira]

You could either default content in the DB to be zero, or you do something like @status.content.try(:length)||0

[Jaqx]

I think that did the trick but im going to check again. Does the to_s set it to an empty string automatically?