3

Yet another problem with my Rails 3 app. I am running Ruby 1.9.3p484 with Rails 3.2.16 on Apache 2.4.7 with Phusion_Passenger 4.0.37.

I added the jquery-datatables-rails gem and after adding *= require dataTables/jquery.dataTables to my application.css I started to have problems. The error message I get is:

undefined method `[]' for nil:NilClass
Showing /var/www-ruby/SteamBundleHelper/app/views/layouts/application.html.erb where line #5 raised:

The top of my application.html.erb file (line 5 is the stylesheet_link_tag one):

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
  <title>Steam Bundle Helper</title>
  <%= stylesheet_link_tag    "application", media: "all" %>
  <%= javascript_include_tag "application" %>
  <%= csrf_meta_tags %>
</head>

My Gemfile:

source 'https://rubygems.org'

gem 'rails', '3.2.16'

# Bundle edge Rails instead:
# gem 'rails', :git => 'git://github.com/rails/rails.git'

gem 'sqlite3'


# Gems used only for assets and not required
# in production environments by default.
group :assets do
  gem 'sass-rails',   '~> 3.2.3'
  gem 'coffee-rails', '~> 3.2.1'

  # See https://github.com/sstephenson/execjs#readme for more supported runtimes
  # gem 'therubyracer', :platforms => :ruby

  gem 'uglifier', '>= 1.0.3'
end

gem 'jquery-rails'
gem 'jquery-datatables-rails', '~> 3.3.0'

gem 'minitest'

gem 'nokogiri'

gem 'pry-rails', :group => :development
gem 'pry-debugger', :group => :development
gem 'pry-remote', :group => :development

The Gemfile.lock:

GEM
  remote: https://rubygems.org/
  specs:
    actionmailer (3.2.16)
      actionpack (= 3.2.16)
      mail (~> 2.5.4)
    actionpack (3.2.16)
      activemodel (= 3.2.16)
      activesupport (= 3.2.16)
      builder (>= 3.0.0)
      erubis (~> 2.7.0)
      journey (~> 1.0.4)
      rack (>= 1.4.5)
      rack-cache (~> 1.2)
      rack-test (~> 0.6.1)
      sprockets (>= 2.2)
    activemodel (3.2.16)
      activesupport (= 3.2.16)
      builder (>= 3.0.0)
    activerecord (3.2.16)
      activemodel (= 3.2.16)
      activesupport (= 3.2.16)
      arel (~> 3.0.2)
      tzinfo (~> 0.3.29)
    activeresource (3.2.16)
      activemodel (= 3.2.16)
      activesupport (= 3.2.16)
    activesupport (3.2.16)
      i18n (~> 0.6, >= 0.6.4)
      multi_json (~> 1.0)
    arel (3.0.3)
    builder (3.2.2)
    coderay (1.1.1)
    coffee-rails (3.2.2)
      coffee-script (>= 2.2.0)
      railties (~> 3.2.0)
    coffee-script (2.4.1)
      coffee-script-source
      execjs
    coffee-script-source (1.10.0)
    columnize (0.9.0)
    concurrent-ruby (1.0.1)
    debugger (1.6.8)
      columnize (>= 0.3.1)
      debugger-linecache (~> 1.2.0)
      debugger-ruby_core_source (~> 1.3.5)
    debugger-linecache (1.2.0)
    debugger-ruby_core_source (1.3.8)
    erubis (2.7.0)
    execjs (2.6.0)
    i18n (0.7.0)
    journey (1.0.4)
    jquery-datatables-rails (3.3.0)
      actionpack (>= 3.1)
      jquery-rails
      railties (>= 3.1)
      sass-rails
    jquery-rails (3.1.4)
      railties (>= 3.0, < 5.0)
      thor (>= 0.14, < 2.0)
    json (1.8.3)
    mail (2.5.4)
      mime-types (~> 1.16)
      treetop (~> 1.4.8)
    method_source (0.8.2)
    mime-types (1.25.1)
    mini_portile2 (2.0.0)
    minitest (5.8.4)
    multi_json (1.11.2)
    nokogiri (1.6.7.2)
      mini_portile2 (~> 2.0.0.rc2)
    polyglot (0.3.5)
    pry (0.10.3)
      coderay (~> 1.1.0)
      method_source (~> 0.8.1)
      slop (~> 3.4)
    pry-debugger (0.2.3)
      debugger (~> 1.3)
      pry (>= 0.9.10, < 0.11.0)
    pry-rails (0.3.4)
      pry (>= 0.9.10)
    pry-remote (0.1.8)
      pry (~> 0.9)
      slop (~> 3.0)
    rack (1.6.4)
    rack-cache (1.6.1)
      rack (>= 0.4)
    rack-ssl (1.3.4)
      rack
    rack-test (0.6.3)
      rack (>= 1.0)
    rails (3.2.16)
      actionmailer (= 3.2.16)
      actionpack (= 3.2.16)
      activerecord (= 3.2.16)
      activeresource (= 3.2.16)
      activesupport (= 3.2.16)
      bundler (~> 1.0)
      railties (= 3.2.16)
    railties (3.2.16)
      actionpack (= 3.2.16)
      activesupport (= 3.2.16)
      rack-ssl (~> 1.3.2)
      rake (>= 0.8.7)
      rdoc (~> 3.4)
      thor (>= 0.14.6, < 2.0)
    rake (10.5.0)
    rdoc (3.12.2)
      json (~> 1.4)
    sass (3.4.21)
    sass-rails (3.2.6)
      railties (~> 3.2.0)
      sass (>= 3.1.10)
      tilt (~> 1.3)
    slop (3.6.0)
    sprockets (3.5.2)
      concurrent-ruby (~> 1.0)
      rack (> 1, < 3)
    sqlite3 (1.3.11)
    thor (0.19.1)
    tilt (1.4.1)
    treetop (1.4.15)
      polyglot
      polyglot (>= 0.3.1)
    tzinfo (0.3.46)
    uglifier (2.7.2)
      execjs (>= 0.3.0)
      json (>= 1.8.0)

PLATFORMS
  ruby

DEPENDENCIES
  coffee-rails (~> 3.2.1)
  jquery-datatables-rails (~> 3.3.0)
  jquery-rails
  minitest
  nokogiri
  pry-debugger
  pry-rails
  pry-remote
  rails (= 3.2.16)
  sass-rails (~> 3.2.3)
  sqlite3
  uglifier (>= 1.0.3)

My application.css file:

/*
 * This is a manifest file that'll be compiled into application.css, which will include all the files
 * listed below.
 *
 * Any CSS and SCSS file within this directory, lib/assets/stylesheets, vendor/assets/stylesheets,
 * or vendor/assets/stylesheets of plugins, if any, can be referenced here using a relative path.
 *
 * You're free to add application-wide styles to this file and they'll appear at the top of the
 * compiled file, but it's generally better to create a new file per style scope.
 *
 *= require dataTables/jquery.dataTables
 */

body {
    font-size: 14px;
    font-family: Verdana, Tahoma, sans-serif;
}

.main_container {
    width: 1200px;
    margin: 0 auto;
}

.header {
    padding-bottom: 3em;
}

.profile_details {
    float: right;

}

As soon as I remove the *= require dataTables/jquery.dataTables from application.css the error goes away. The problem is that I need the Datatables CSS files. I fiddled with a lot of things but ended up reverting them since they did not solve my issue. Any idea is welcome.

EDIT: as I'm not too familiar with either sprockets or sass, what would be the best way to remove sprockets, which seems to be the culprit, and to compile all .scss files directly? Should I @import them all into application.css?

EDIT #2 (2016-03-29): as requested in the comments I'm appending the (very long) full trace:

sass-rails (3.2.6) lib/sass/rails/template_handlers.rb:81:in `sass_options'
sass-rails (3.2.6) lib/sass/rails/template_handlers.rb:106:in `evaluate'
/usr/lib/ruby/vendor_ruby/tilt/template.rb:103:in `render'
sprockets (3.5.2) lib/sprockets/legacy_tilt_processor.rb:25:in `call'
sprockets (3.5.2) lib/sprockets/processor_utils.rb:75:in `call_processor'
sprockets (3.5.2) lib/sprockets/processor_utils.rb:57:in `block in call_processors'
sprockets (3.5.2) lib/sprockets/processor_utils.rb:56:in `reverse_each'
sprockets (3.5.2) lib/sprockets/processor_utils.rb:56:in `call_processors'
sprockets (3.5.2) lib/sprockets/loader.rb:134:in `load_from_unloaded'
sprockets (3.5.2) lib/sprockets/loader.rb:60:in `block in load'
sprockets (3.5.2) lib/sprockets/loader.rb:318:in `fetch_asset_from_dependency_cache'
sprockets (3.5.2) lib/sprockets/loader.rb:44:in `load'
sprockets (3.5.2) lib/sprockets/cached_environment.rb:20:in `block in initialize'
sprockets (3.5.2) lib/sprockets/cached_environment.rb:47:in `yield'
sprockets (3.5.2) lib/sprockets/cached_environment.rb:47:in `default'
sprockets (3.5.2) lib/sprockets/cached_environment.rb:47:in `load'
sprockets (3.5.2) lib/sprockets/bundle.rb:23:in `block in call'
sprockets (3.5.2) lib/sprockets/utils.rb:183:in `dfs'
sprockets (3.5.2) lib/sprockets/bundle.rb:24:in `call'
sprockets (3.5.2) lib/sprockets/processor_utils.rb:75:in `call_processor'
sprockets (3.5.2) lib/sprockets/processor_utils.rb:57:in `block in call_processors'
sprockets (3.5.2) lib/sprockets/processor_utils.rb:56:in `reverse_each'
sprockets (3.5.2) lib/sprockets/processor_utils.rb:56:in `call_processors'
sprockets (3.5.2) lib/sprockets/loader.rb:134:in `load_from_unloaded'
sprockets (3.5.2) lib/sprockets/loader.rb:60:in `block in load'
sprockets (3.5.2) lib/sprockets/loader.rb:318:in `fetch_asset_from_dependency_cache'
sprockets (3.5.2) lib/sprockets/loader.rb:44:in `load'
sprockets (3.5.2) lib/sprockets/cached_environment.rb:20:in `block in initialize'
sprockets (3.5.2) lib/sprockets/cached_environment.rb:47:in `yield'
sprockets (3.5.2) lib/sprockets/cached_environment.rb:47:in `default'
sprockets (3.5.2) lib/sprockets/cached_environment.rb:47:in `load'
sprockets (3.5.2) lib/sprockets/base.rb:66:in `find_asset'
sprockets (3.5.2) lib/sprockets/environment.rb:30:in `find_asset'
sprockets (3.5.2) lib/sprockets/base.rb:92:in `[]'
/usr/lib/ruby/vendor_ruby/sprockets/helpers/rails_helper.rb:126:in `asset_for'
/usr/lib/ruby/vendor_ruby/sprockets/helpers/rails_helper.rb:44:in `block in stylesheet_link_tag'
/usr/lib/ruby/vendor_ruby/sprockets/helpers/rails_helper.rb:43:in `collect'
/usr/lib/ruby/vendor_ruby/sprockets/helpers/rails_helper.rb:43:in `stylesheet_link_tag'
app/views/layouts/application.html.erb:5:in `_app_views_layouts_application_html_erb___3648343695788242355_69996357879600'
/usr/lib/ruby/vendor_ruby/action_view/template.rb:145:in `block in render'
/usr/lib/ruby/vendor_ruby/active_support/notifications.rb:125:in `instrument'
/usr/lib/ruby/vendor_ruby/action_view/template.rb:143:in `render'
/usr/lib/ruby/vendor_ruby/action_view/renderer/template_renderer.rb:59:in `render_with_layout'
/usr/lib/ruby/vendor_ruby/action_view/renderer/template_renderer.rb:45:in `render_template'
/usr/lib/ruby/vendor_ruby/action_view/renderer/template_renderer.rb:18:in `render'
/usr/lib/ruby/vendor_ruby/action_view/renderer/renderer.rb:36:in `render_template'
/usr/lib/ruby/vendor_ruby/action_view/renderer/renderer.rb:17:in `render'
/usr/lib/ruby/vendor_ruby/abstract_controller/rendering.rb:110:in `_render_template'
/usr/lib/ruby/vendor_ruby/action_controller/metal/streaming.rb:225:in `_render_template'
/usr/lib/ruby/vendor_ruby/abstract_controller/rendering.rb:103:in `render_to_body'
/usr/lib/ruby/vendor_ruby/action_controller/metal/renderers.rb:28:in `render_to_body'
/usr/lib/ruby/vendor_ruby/action_controller/metal/compatibility.rb:50:in `render_to_body'
/usr/lib/ruby/vendor_ruby/abstract_controller/rendering.rb:88:in `render'
/usr/lib/ruby/vendor_ruby/action_controller/metal/rendering.rb:16:in `render'
/usr/lib/ruby/vendor_ruby/action_controller/metal/instrumentation.rb:40:in `block (2 levels) in render'
/usr/lib/ruby/vendor_ruby/active_support/core_ext/benchmark.rb:5:in `block in ms'
/usr/lib/ruby/1.9.1/benchmark.rb:295:in `realtime'
/usr/lib/ruby/vendor_ruby/active_support/core_ext/benchmark.rb:5:in `ms'
/usr/lib/ruby/vendor_ruby/action_controller/metal/instrumentation.rb:40:in `block in render'
/usr/lib/ruby/vendor_ruby/action_controller/metal/instrumentation.rb:83:in `cleanup_view_runtime'
/usr/lib/ruby/vendor_ruby/active_record/railties/controller_runtime.rb:24:in `cleanup_view_runtime'
/usr/lib/ruby/vendor_ruby/action_controller/metal/instrumentation.rb:39:in `render'
/usr/lib/ruby/vendor_ruby/action_controller/metal/implicit_render.rb:10:in `default_render'
/usr/lib/ruby/vendor_ruby/action_controller/metal/implicit_render.rb:5:in `send_action'
/usr/lib/ruby/vendor_ruby/abstract_controller/base.rb:167:in `process_action'
/usr/lib/ruby/vendor_ruby/action_controller/metal/rendering.rb:10:in `process_action'
/usr/lib/ruby/vendor_ruby/abstract_controller/callbacks.rb:18:in `block in process_action'
/usr/lib/ruby/vendor_ruby/active_support/callbacks.rb:414:in `_run__3287941951740287054__process_action__2444081902642250416__callbacks'
/usr/lib/ruby/vendor_ruby/active_support/callbacks.rb:405:in `__run_callback'
/usr/lib/ruby/vendor_ruby/active_support/callbacks.rb:385:in `_run_process_action_callbacks'
/usr/lib/ruby/vendor_ruby/active_support/callbacks.rb:81:in `run_callbacks'
/usr/lib/ruby/vendor_ruby/abstract_controller/callbacks.rb:17:in `process_action'
/usr/lib/ruby/vendor_ruby/action_controller/metal/rescue.rb:29:in `process_action'
/usr/lib/ruby/vendor_ruby/action_controller/metal/instrumentation.rb:30:in `block in process_action'
/usr/lib/ruby/vendor_ruby/active_support/notifications.rb:123:in `block in instrument'
/usr/lib/ruby/vendor_ruby/active_support/notifications/instrumenter.rb:20:in `instrument'
/usr/lib/ruby/vendor_ruby/active_support/notifications.rb:123:in `instrument'
/usr/lib/ruby/vendor_ruby/action_controller/metal/instrumentation.rb:29:in `process_action'
/usr/lib/ruby/vendor_ruby/action_controller/metal/params_wrapper.rb:207:in `process_action'
/usr/lib/ruby/vendor_ruby/active_record/railties/controller_runtime.rb:18:in `process_action'
/usr/lib/ruby/vendor_ruby/abstract_controller/base.rb:121:in `process'
/usr/lib/ruby/vendor_ruby/abstract_controller/rendering.rb:45:in `process'
/usr/lib/ruby/vendor_ruby/action_controller/metal.rb:203:in `dispatch'
/usr/lib/ruby/vendor_ruby/action_controller/metal/rack_delegation.rb:14:in `dispatch'
/usr/lib/ruby/vendor_ruby/action_controller/metal.rb:246:in `block in action'
/usr/lib/ruby/vendor_ruby/action_dispatch/routing/route_set.rb:73:in `call'
/usr/lib/ruby/vendor_ruby/action_dispatch/routing/route_set.rb:73:in `dispatch'
/usr/lib/ruby/vendor_ruby/action_dispatch/routing/route_set.rb:36:in `call'
/usr/lib/ruby/vendor_ruby/journey/router.rb:68:in `block in call'
/usr/lib/ruby/vendor_ruby/journey/router.rb:56:in `each'
/usr/lib/ruby/vendor_ruby/journey/router.rb:56:in `call'
/usr/lib/ruby/vendor_ruby/action_dispatch/routing/route_set.rb:608:in `call'
/usr/lib/ruby/vendor_ruby/action_dispatch/middleware/best_standards_support.rb:17:in `call'
rack (1.6.4) lib/rack/etag.rb:24:in `call'
rack (1.6.4) lib/rack/conditionalget.rb:25:in `call'
/usr/lib/ruby/vendor_ruby/action_dispatch/middleware/head.rb:14:in `call'
/usr/lib/ruby/vendor_ruby/action_dispatch/middleware/params_parser.rb:21:in `call'
/usr/lib/ruby/vendor_ruby/action_dispatch/middleware/flash.rb:242:in `call'
rack (1.6.4) lib/rack/session/abstract/id.rb:225:in `context'
rack (1.6.4) lib/rack/session/abstract/id.rb:220:in `call'
/usr/lib/ruby/vendor_ruby/action_dispatch/middleware/cookies.rb:341:in `call'
/usr/lib/ruby/vendor_ruby/active_record/query_cache.rb:64:in `call'
/usr/lib/ruby/vendor_ruby/active_record/connection_adapters/abstract/connection_pool.rb:479:in `call'
/usr/lib/ruby/vendor_ruby/action_dispatch/middleware/callbacks.rb:28:in `block in call'
/usr/lib/ruby/vendor_ruby/active_support/callbacks.rb:405:in `_run__411984161693097463__call__4601814333716727330__callbacks'
/usr/lib/ruby/vendor_ruby/active_support/callbacks.rb:405:in `__run_callback'
/usr/lib/ruby/vendor_ruby/active_support/callbacks.rb:385:in `_run_call_callbacks'
/usr/lib/ruby/vendor_ruby/active_support/callbacks.rb:81:in `run_callbacks'
/usr/lib/ruby/vendor_ruby/action_dispatch/middleware/callbacks.rb:27:in `call'
/usr/lib/ruby/vendor_ruby/action_dispatch/middleware/reloader.rb:65:in `call'
/usr/lib/ruby/vendor_ruby/action_dispatch/middleware/remote_ip.rb:31:in `call'
/usr/lib/ruby/vendor_ruby/action_dispatch/middleware/debug_exceptions.rb:16:in `call'
/usr/lib/ruby/vendor_ruby/action_dispatch/middleware/show_exceptions.rb:56:in `call'
/usr/lib/ruby/vendor_ruby/rails/rack/logger.rb:32:in `call_app'
/usr/lib/ruby/vendor_ruby/rails/rack/logger.rb:16:in `block in call'
/usr/lib/ruby/vendor_ruby/active_support/tagged_logging.rb:22:in `tagged'
/usr/lib/ruby/vendor_ruby/rails/rack/logger.rb:16:in `call'
/usr/lib/ruby/vendor_ruby/action_dispatch/middleware/request_id.rb:22:in `call'
rack (1.6.4) lib/rack/methodoverride.rb:22:in `call'
rack (1.6.4) lib/rack/runtime.rb:18:in `call'
/usr/lib/ruby/vendor_ruby/active_support/cache/strategy/local_cache.rb:72:in `call'
rack (1.6.4) lib/rack/lock.rb:17:in `call'
/usr/lib/ruby/vendor_ruby/action_dispatch/middleware/static.rb:63:in `call'
/usr/lib/ruby/vendor_ruby/rails/engine.rb:484:in `call'
/usr/lib/ruby/vendor_ruby/rails/application.rb:231:in `call'
/usr/lib/ruby/vendor_ruby/rails/railtie/configurable.rb:30:in `method_missing'
/usr/lib/ruby/vendor_ruby/phusion_passenger/rack/thread_handler_extension.rb:77:in `process_request'
/usr/lib/ruby/vendor_ruby/phusion_passenger/request_handler/thread_handler.rb:142:in `accept_and_process_next_request'
/usr/lib/ruby/vendor_ruby/phusion_passenger/request_handler/thread_handler.rb:110:in `main_loop'
/usr/lib/ruby/vendor_ruby/phusion_passenger/request_handler.rb:448:in `block (3 levels) in start_threads'

EDIT #3 (2016-03-30):

If I remove all the require lines from my application.css I get no error. So the error is coming from any require directive.

Improve this question
11
  • Have you tried moving the DataTables CSS file into app/assets/stylesheets/ and including the line *= require_tree . in application.css? Commented Mar 3, 2016 at 21:01
  • Yes, same result, same error. Commented Mar 3, 2016 at 21:08
  • Have you tried change the application.css to application.scss, and use the @import directive to include the css file. see sass-lang.com/documentation/file.SASS_REFERENCE.html#import Commented Mar 26, 2016 at 10:49
  • there's usually an option to see more backtrace - since this is happening inside rails, the framework backtrace is relevant. there's also a new version of the gem released since your question (3.4.0) that is probably worth checking out. Commented Mar 28, 2016 at 11:47
  • Post complete traceback please. Commented Mar 28, 2016 at 12:49

5 Answers 5

Reset to default
1

It looks like you're not loading your asset pipeline, specifically the stylesheets and javascripts. After gem installation, run rails generate jquery:datatables:install from the command line. Your application.js and application.css files should look like this:

application.js

...
//= require jquery
//= require jquery_ujs
//= require dataTables/jquery.dataTables
//= require turbolinks
//= require_tree .

application.css

...
*= require_tree .
*= require dataTables/jquery.dataTables
*= require_self
*/
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2 Comments

As noted in the second comment above I have tried using *= require_tree but I have the same error message (e.g.: undefined method '[]' for nil:NilClass).
I edited my answer for completeness. Hopefully this will work for you.
1

I'm pretty sure that this doesn't have anything to do with sprockets or the gem itself. I had a problem like this a while back and the problem was with my code. Without any more information I can't really tell, check to make sure that your making the proper conditionals. Check out this other stack overflow response that helped me when I ran into this error. If you get the chance can you also post your controller method for this view page.

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1 Comment

My controller method for that particular page is empty, I'm only showing the view file. Again, my site works great as soon as I remove the *= require line(s) from my application.css (*= require_tree, *= require_self and *= require).
1

Run generator to generate datatable files.

rails generate jquery:datatables:install
Improve this answer

1 Comment

This was done long ago and it doesn't solve the *= require error.
-1

First make sure you are having your app connected to database. Then run 

   rake db:migrate

Then restart the server and check.

Improve this answer

1 Comment

My site works great as soon as I remove the *= require line(s) from my application.css (*= require_tree, *= require_self and *= require). This is not a database connection problem.
-4

I think buddy you are on windows it is saying line #5 is raised for application.html.erb go in the file find line 5 and 6 and replace application word with defaults.

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4 Comments

I'm not on Windows and I don't really understand what you're suggesting. Did you read the whole question? Line #5 is stylesheet_link_tag.
yes in that file there is word named application in quotes like this "application" make it defaults like this "defaults".After line #5 will get clear it will say #6 is raised you have to do same on line #6 too make "application " as "defaults"
And sorry for being late
If I change this then my application.css is not loaded and the CSS tree (datatable CSS files) isn't loaded either. I want all those files loaded without having to manually add a stylesheet_link_tag. I can load all the application.css file if I remove the require line from the file but if I do that then the datatable CSS files are obviously not loaded. Not that the javascript require works as expected and loads the complete datatable javascript tree.

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