Undefined method error on User child object Rails 4 - ruby-on-rails

Question

I have an object(Transaction) that belongs_to User and User has_many transactions. When I try and create this object in my rails form I get the following error:
undefined method `transaction_kind' for nil:NilClass
app/models/transaction.rb:10:in `create_transaction'
app/controllers/transactions_controller.rb:17:in `create'
The params hash being passed through my console after I submit the form looks like:
Parameters: {"utf8"=>"✓", "authenticity_token"=>"XXXXX", "transaction"=>{"transaction_kind"=>"Deposit", "user_id"=>"113", "credit"=>"99"}, "commit"=>"Submit Request", "lender_id"=>"113"}
Transaction.rb looks like this:
class Transaction < ActiveRecord::Base
belongs_to :user
after_save :create_transaction
attr_accessible :transaction_kind, :user_id, :credit, :debit, :created_at
def create_transaction
client = Restforce.new
credit = '012c00000004k5A'
debit = '012c00000004k55'
if #transaction.transaction_kind == "Deposit"
client.create!('Transaction__c', Account__c: self.salesforce_id, RecordTypeId: credit, Debit_Amount__c: self.debit, Credit_Amount__c: self.credit, Recorded_On__c: self.created_at, Status__c: 'New Transaction', Type: 'Deposit', Transaction_Type__c: self.transaction_kind)
else
client.create!('Transaction__c', Account__c: self.salesforce_id, RecordTypeId: debit, Debit_Amount__c: self.debit, Credit_Amount__c: self.credit, Recorded_On__c: self.created_at, Status__c: 'New Transaction', Type: 'Withdrawal', Transaction_Type__c: self.transaction_kind)
end
end
end
new.html.erb has the following form code:
<%= form_for [#user, #transaction], url: lender_transaction_path(#user) do |f| %>
<%= f.hidden_field :transaction_kind, :value => "Deposit" %>
<%= f.hidden_field :user_id, :value => #user.id %>
<%= f.label :credit, :class => "required" %>
<%= f.text_field :credit, :autofocus => :true, :class => "form-control margin-bottom-20 required"%>
<%= f.submit 'Submit Request', :class => "btn-u btn-u-primary" %>
<% end %>
transactions_controller.rb
class TransactionsController < ApplicationController
before_filter :authenticate_user!
def new
#user = current_user
#transaction = Transaction.new
if #user.activated?
client = Restforce.new
#account = client.find('Account', #user.salesforce_id, 'Account_Id')
transaction_query = "select from where Account__c ='%s' AND " % #account.Id.to_s
#transactions = client.query(transaction_query)
end
end
def create
#user = current_user
#transaction = Transaction.create(transaction_params)
if #transaction.save
redirect_to new_lender_transaction_path(#user)
end
end
private
def transaction_params
params.require(:transaction).permit(:transaction_kind, :credit, :debit, :created_at)
end
end
Any help with this issue would be great. Or any ideas on how to debug this further. Thanks!

Answer 1

You can't pass an instance variable from controller to model, so the Transaction model doesn't know what #transaction is and thus supposes it is as a nil
I would change the code into this:
if self.transaction_kind == "Deposit"
The self will make it work. If it is not, try using attr_accessor :transaction_kind or simply put if transaction_kind == "Deposit"
Also, I believe it would be better if you refactor the client.create! into:
Restforce.create!(...)
which will save you from writing another client = Restforce.new line.