undefined method `firstname' for nil:NilClass - ruby-on-rails

Question

Hi there I am getting a NoMethodError in Users#show error in my Rails 3.2 app using devise.
Error on line 2 of my show below:
<strong>Firstname:</strong>
<%= #user.firstname %>
</p>
<p>
<strong>dateofbirth:</strong>
(If I remove the first name box it does the error for dateofbirth, etc.)
I'm using devise for my users, but generated a user controller in which to place my views.
I'm not sure what the problem is because I ran my migration and firstname exists in the schema
Here's the user controller:
class UsersController < ApplicationController
# before_action :set_user, only: [:show, :edit, :update, :destroy]
def find
#user = User.new
end
def show
#user = User.find(params[:id])
end
# GET /users
# GET /users.json
def index
#users = User.all
end
# GET /users/1
# GET /users/1.json
def show
end
# GET /users/new
def new
#user = User.new
end
# GET /users/1/edit
def edit
end
# POST /users
# POST /users.json
def create
#user = User.new(user_params)
respond_to do |format|
if #user.save
format.html { redirect_to #user, notice: 'User was successfully created.' }
format.json { render action: 'show', status: :created, location: #user }
else
format.html { render action: 'new' }
format.json { render json: #user.errors, status: :unprocessable_entity }
end
end
end
# PATCH/PUT /users/1
# PATCH/PUT /users/1.json
def update
respond_to do |format|
if #user.update(user_params)
format.html { redirect_to #user, notice: 'User was successfully updated.' }
format.json { head :no_content }
else
format.html { render action: 'edit' }
format.json { render json: #user.errors, status: :unprocessable_entity }
end
end
end
# DELETE /users/1
# DELETE /users/1.json
def destroy
#user.destroy
respond_to do |format|
format.html { redirect_to users_url }
format.json { head :no_content }
end
end
private
# Use callbacks to share common setup or constraints between actions.
def set_user
#user = User.find(params[:id])
end
# Never trust parameters from the scary internet, only allow the white list through.
def user_params
params.require(:user).permit(:username, :firstname, :dateofbirth, :lastname, :gender, :location, :email, :password)
end
end

Answer 1

Your controller has two show methods defined. Try removing the second one. I believe the empty show method is overwriting your filled-in show method. In your view, #user doesn't exist so it evaluates to nil. Nil has neither a firstname method, nor dateofbirth method. Hence the NoMethodError.