CODEWITHSUNDEEP
ruby-on-railsrubyruby-on-rails-4
Brogrammer
Brogrammer

Reputation: 177

Why do I get an undefined method when calling model method

I have a model with the following method 

 class Legacy::Retailer < ActiveRecord::Base
  belongs_to :retailers
  self.table_name = 'orim_retailers'

  def retailer_options
    retailers = Array.new
    self.display_name.each do |names|
      retailers << names
    end
  end

end

When I try to call this method from the controller as

@retailer_options = Legacy::Retailer.retailer_options

I get a method an undefined method error. I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong.

Upvotes: 0

Views: 719

Answers (3)

jpbalarini
jpbalarini

Reputation: 1172

The method retailer_options was defined as an instance method, and you are calling a class method. Take a look at the following code:

class Foo
  def self.bar
    puts 'class method'
  end

  def baz
    puts 'instance method'
  end
end

If you call:

Foo.bar # => "class method"
Foo.baz # => NoMethodError: undefined method ‘baz’ for Foo:Class

And for the instance method:

Foo.new.baz # => instance method
Foo.new.bar # => NoMethodError: undefined method ‘bar’ for #<Foo:0x1e820>

Hope it's more clear now

Upvotes: 1

Andrey Deineko
Andrey Deineko

Reputation: 52377

Because you defined an instance method, not a class method.

To be able to call 

Legacy::Retailer.retailer_options

you should define a class method:

  def self.retailer_options # note self here
    retailers = Array.new
    self.display_name.each do |names|
      retailers << names
    end
  end

And if you've meant to call this method on instances, not class itself, you should be able to do the following:

Legacy::Retailer.new.retailer_options

Upvotes: 4

gmaliar
gmaliar

Reputation: 5489

you've defined an instance method but you're calling it as a class method.

@retailer = Legacy::Retailer.new
@retailer.retailer_options

will work

Upvotes: 0

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