You are not logged in. Please login or register.
Rails Forum - Ruby on Rails Help and Discussion Forum » Other Rails Programming » How to make a simple Contact Form
I've got an error on this last tutorial paper:
It broke: No rhtml, rxml, rjs or delegate template found for contact_message
It seems that the Mailer model can't find a view like 'views/mailer/contact_message.rhtml'. Can anybody see the reason?
cheers,
Alex
It was a configuration problem in environment.rb with a desactivated :action_mailer module.
Hi,
I made my contact form according to this tutorial posted by dawie, and it works very reliably. However, it is far too complicated in the long run because it makes me create additional models just to get the benefit of ActiveRecord's validation features.
So, if you need a simple contact form for your website, just do this:
"contact.rhtml" (the contact form):
<%= start_form_tag :action => 'send_contact_form' %>
<h2>Name:</h2>
<%= text_field "author", "name" %>
<h2>E-Mail:</h2>
<%= text_field "author", "email" %>
<h2>Message:</h2>
<%= text_area "author", "message" %><br/>
<%= submit_tag "Send" %>
<%= end_form_tag %>
def send_contact_form
if request.post?
Mailer::deliver_message(params[:author])
redirect_to :action => 'contact'
flash[:notice] = "Thanks for your message!"
end
end
class Mailer < ActionMailer::Base
def message(author)
@recipients = "me@mysite.com"
@from = author[:email]
@subject = "New message"
@body['name'] = author[:name]
@body['email'] = author[:email]
@body['message'] = author[:message]
endend
The following message has just been sent via the contact form on your website:From: <%= @name %>
Message: <%= @message %>
ActionMailer::Base.delivery_method = :sendmail
ActionMailer::Base.server_settings = {
:address => "mail.mysite.com", #insert YOUR address here
:domain => "mysite.com",
:port => 25,
:authentication => :login,
:user_name => "myusername", #insert YOUR username here
:password => "mypassword" #insert YOUR password here
}
ActionMailer::Base.perform_deliveries = true
ActionMailer::Base.raise_delivery_errors = true
ActionMailer::Base.default_charset = "utf-8"
I am currently trying to implement "real-time validation" using Ajax, but have no idea where to start. I want the form field to get validated before the user even hits the submit button. How can I achieve this effect?
Can anybody hint me into the right direction?
Last edited by Pixelateur (2007-01-02 17:50:10)
Hi there,
I have tried all the above examples in both testing an in production environments.
the one that seemed to make the most sense to me was pb hogans 'tableless' valid contact form, that dawie linked to.
I have it running w/ out error and have tested it both locally and on live servers and am constantly having the same problem. when the submit button is hit the correct running but the form just reloads no success or failure message, no email is sent.
I am lost and getting ready to just connect to a php from via the rails controller.
totally confused and pretty ready to throw in the rails towel.
JOsh
Hi Josh,
Sorry, I haven't got a clou here. All I can say is that the code in my previous post (the one above yours) works perfectly fine. You can see it in action on my Website. On my website I am using some Ajax validation techniques, that aren't included in the code above.
In one of my previous projects I followed the tutorial you mention and it still works great. You can see it here: Link
Ok well here is my code as well as a snippet of the log file, of the rendering of the code. forgive me now for my repetitiveness as some of this is direct cut and paste. (maybe that is my problem). any one got any clues as to why this is happening?
tableless.rb
class Tableless < ActiveRecord::Base
def self.columns()
@columns ||= [];
end
def self.column(name, sql_type = nil, default = nil, null = true)
columns << ActiveRecord::ConnectionAdapters::Column.new(name.to_s, default,sql_type.to_s, null)
end
# override the save method to prevent exceptions.
def save(validate = true)
validate ? valid? : true
end
end
class Mailer < ActionMailer::Base
def contact_message(contact)
@recipients = CONTACT_RECIPIENT
@from = contact.email_address
@subject = 'Contact Form Request'
@body['name'] = contact.name
@body['city'] = contact.city
@body['state'] = contact.state
@body['zip'] = contact.zip
@body['phone'] = contact.phone
@body['email'] = contact.email_address
@body['address'] = contact.address
@body['message'] = contact.message
end
end
class Contact < Tableless
column :name, :string
column :city, :string
column :state, :string
column :phone, :string
column :email_address, :string
column :address, :string
column :zip, :string
column :message, :text
validates_presence_of :name, :email_address, :message
end
development:
email:
server: localhost
port: 3005
domain: local_host
authentication: none
username:
password:
contact_recipient: josh@dontwannagetspamed.com
production:
email:
server: localhost
port: 25
domain: www.altfoodcompany.com
authentication: login
username: ********
password: ********
contact_recipient: josh@dontwannagetspamed.com
c = YAML::load(File.open("#{RAILS_ROOT}/config/config.yml"))
ActionMailer::Base.server_settings = {
:address => c[RAILS_ENV]['email']['server'],
:port => c[RAILS_ENV]['email']['port'],
:domain => c[RAILS_ENV]['email']['domain'],
:authentication => c[RAILS_ENV]['email']['authentication'],
:user_name => c[RAILS_ENV]['email']['username'],
:password => c[RAILS_ENV]['email']['password']
}
CONTACT_RECIPIENT = c[RAILS_ENV]['email']['contact_recipient']#contact from below here
def contact
@contact = Contact.new
end
def send_contact_request
@contact = Contact.new(params['contact'])
if @contact.save
begin
Mailer::deliver_contact_message(@contact)
flash[:notice] = "Success!"
redirect_to :action=>"contact"
rescue
flash[:notice] = "It broke!"
render :action=>"contact"
end
else
flash[:notice] = "only rendering"
render :action=>"contact"
end
end
<%=error_messages_for "contact" %>
<%= start_form_tag :controller=>"page", :action=>"send_contact_request" %>
<label for='contact[name]'>Name</label> <%= text_field("contact", "name") %><br />
<label for='contact[email_address]'>Email</label> <%= text_field("contact", "email_address") %><br />
<label for='contact[address]'>Address</label> <%= text_field("contact", "address") %><br />
<label for='contact[city]'>City</label> <%= text_field("contact", "city") %><br />
<label for='contact[state]'>State</label> <%= text_field("contact", "state", {"size"=>"5"}) %><br />
<label for='contact[zip]'>Zip</label> <%= text_field("contact", "zip", {"size"=>"10"}) %><br />
<label for='contact[phone]'>Phone</label> <%= text_field("contact", "phone") %><br />
<label for='contact[message]'>Message</label><br /> <%= text_area("contact", "message") %><br />
<%= submit_tag "Send" %>
<%= end_form_tag %>
A user has chosen to contact you via your web site.
===================================================
User: <%=@name %>
Email: <%=@email %>
Address: <%=@address %>
City: <%=@city %>
State: <%=@state %>
Zip: <%=@zip %>
Phone: <%=@phone %>
Message:
-----------------------------
<%=@message %>
-----------------------------
Generated at <%=Time.now.to_s %>
Processing PageController#send_contact_request (for 72.70.247.236 at 2006-12-11 07:38:09) [POST]
Session ID: accf939579a63714e320646c00fac327
Parameters: {"commit"=>"Send", "contact"=>{"name"=>"contact[name]", "city"=>"NOrthampton", "message"=>"heyheymy my", "zip"=>"contact[zip]", "phone"=>"contact[phone]", "address"=>"46 Pine brook Curve", "state"=>"contact[state]", "email_address"=>"josh@dontwanngetspammed.com"}, "action"=>"send_contact_request", "controller"=>"page"}
Rendering actioncontactlayoutfalse within layouts/default
Rendering page/contact
Start rendering component ({:params=>{:styleclass=>"credits"}, :action=>"menu"}):Processing PageController#menu (for 72.70.247.236 at 2006-12-11 07:38:10) [POST]
Session ID: accf939579a63714e320646c00fac327
Parameters: {"styleclass"=>"credits", "action"=>"menu", "id"=>nil, "controller"=>"page"}
Rendering page/menu
Completed in 0.06025 (16 reqs/sec) | Rendering: 0.02245 (37%) | DB: 0.03693 (61%) | 200 OK [http://altfoodcompany.com/page/send_contact_request]End of component rendering
Completed in 0.28550 (3 reqs/sec) | Rendering: 0.24160 (84%) | DB: 0.03176 (11%) | 200 OK [http://altfoodcompany.com/page/send_contact_request]
Hi sanguis,
I spent some time trying to figure out what may be wrong in your code, but to be honest with you I can't see any reason why it should not work. I got into programming only about a year ago, so it's hard for me to give you any advice. All I can say is that I followed the exact same tutorial and it worked great for me.
Timo,
I have been review logs and I believe that is is something to do w/ a server configuration. I have started dialog w/ my sys admin. I will post the results when I get them.
JOsh
Status update. progress made.
I commented out the rescue options in the controller and am not getting 'proper' in my log files. I can finally start to route out the problems I have been having. they actually don't stem from the contact form code but, part of the template (or theme) manager causing the problem.
any one got any suggestions on how I tell a mailer that it does note need a theme?
btw the theme contoler is part of the CMS, Eribium.
JOsh
Processing PageController#send_contact_request (for 72.70.247.236 at 2006-12-12 17:59:38) [POST]
Session ID: a0d91d470cbece9a63c20f28f223fc21
Parameters: {"commit"=>"Send", "contact"=>{"name"=>"contact[name]", "city"=>"contact[city]", "message"=>"contact[message]", "zip"=>"contact[zip]", "phone"=>"contact[phone]", "address"=>"contact[address]", "state"=>"contact[state]", "email_address"=>"example@example.com"}, "action"=>"send_contact_request", "controller"=>"page"}NoMethodError (undefined method `current_theme' for #<Mailer:0xb78184ac>):
/vendor/plugins/theme_support/lib/patches/actionview_ex.rb:16:in `render_file'
/usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-1.12.5/lib/action_view/base.rb:274:in `render'
/usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionmailer-1.2.5/lib/action_mailer/base.rb:427:in `render'
/usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionmailer-1.2.5/lib/action_mailer/base.rb:422:in `render_message'
/usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionmailer-1.2.5/lib/action_mailer/base.rb:370:in `create!'
/usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionmailer-1.2.5/lib/action_mailer/base.rb:331:in `initialize'
/usr/local/lib/ruby/site_ruby/1.8/rubygems/custom_require.rb:21:in `new'
/usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionmailer-1.2.5/lib/action_mailer/base.rb:291:in `method_missing'
/app/controllers/page_controller.rb:58:in `send_contact_request'
/usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-1.12.5/lib/action_controller/base.rb:941:in `perform_action_without_filters'
/usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-1.12.5/lib/action_controller/filters.rb:368:in `perform_action_without_benchmark'
/usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-1.12.5/lib/action_controller/benchmarking.rb:69:in `perform_action_without_rescue'
/usr/local/lib/ruby/1.8/benchmark.rb:293:in `measure'
/usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-1.12.5/lib/action_controller/benchmarking.rb:69:in `perform_action_without_rescue'
/usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-1.12.5/lib/action_controller/rescue.rb:82:in `perform_action'
/usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-1.12.5/lib/action_controller/base.rb:408:in `process_without_filters'
/usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-1.12.5/lib/action_controller/filters.rb:377:in `process_without_session_management_support'
/usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-1.12.5/lib/action_controller/session_management.rb:117:in `process'
/usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/rails-1.1.6/lib/dispatcher.rb:38:in `dispatch'
/usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/rails-1.1.6/lib/fcgi_handler.rb:150:in `process_request'
/usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/rails-1.1.6/lib/fcgi_handler.rb:54:in `process!'
/usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/fcgi-0.8.7/lib/fcgi.rb:612:in `each_cgi'
/usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/fcgi-0.8.7/lib/fcgi.rb:609:in `each_cgi'
/usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/rails-1.1.6/lib/fcgi_handler.rb:53:in `process!'
/usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/rails-1.1.6/lib/fcgi_handler.rb:23:in `process!'
dispatch.fcgi:30
i've followed diabatzu....but when i click on button nothing happens .....like its dead.
Hi Josh, sorry that wasn't able to help. Please post a link to your contact form here once you are done. Would like to have a look at it :-)
Sorry, still I am getting error to make a contact form. Can anybody post a detail document which make to send email?
Thanks,
If you are looking for a good javascript form validation script check out YAV. I am currently using it in a project and it works great. It also has good documentation and shows working examples to help you get it up and running quickly.
http://yav.sourceforge.net/en/index.html
I just tried the tableless solution proposed in this thread. It wasnt working at all so I commented out the rescue statement in the controller and following the stack trace I see that the error is in the send_contact_request action.
undefined method `contact_message'
Now to me this makes no sense, because in my entire project, there is no call to this method. The only thing that comes close would be this.
Mailer::deliver_contact_message(@contact)
undefined method `contact_message'
Now to me this makes no sense, because in my entire project, there is no call to this method. The only thing that comes close would be this.
Mailer::deliver_contact_message(@contact)
All problems aside, I am pretty disappointed with how complicated it is to make a simple contact form in Rails. This task is much easier in PHP.
pimpmaster, the undefined method contact_message is exactly right from deliver_contact_message, it seems complex at first but isn't really - let me see if I can help you out with it...
first setup your environment.rb file with your server settings for sending mail, look previously in the thread for an example, then
1)to send an email with rails you need a model (I usually call this notification) that inherits from ActionMailer::Base
- so -
class Notifications < ActionMailer::Base
def forgot_password(address, password, sent_at = Time.now)
@subject = 'Your new login details'
@body = {'email' => address, 'password' => password}
@recipients = address
@from = 'no-reply@example.com'
@sent_on = sent_at
@headers = {}
end
3)this is a the views/notifications/forgot_password.rhtml file...
As per your request a new random password has been created for your account.
Your new password is <%= @password %>You can now login and change it to something that you'll remember.
4) to send the email all you do is make a method call to deliver_method_name
that is in this case...
Notifications.deliver_forgot_password(email, new_password)
that's it!
Last edited by Baltar (2007-05-02 14:52:44)
Thanks for clarifying this..I am starting to understand how it works.
I am just at a loss on how to make this into a contact page, where people can fill out their name and email with a message (maybe get some CAPTCHA action once its working)
Googling doesn't turn up anything strangely enough
Alright, I didn't want to clutter this thread up with more code, so:
That is how far I have gotten. The form submits and I get the flash message stating it was successful, but I get no mail. I am using the same smtp setting for my current email account to test this, but so far no dice.
Is there something obvious I am missing?
Last edited by pimpmaster (2007-05-02 14:43:29)
God I love pastie! it all looks so neat and tidy! 
I can't see anything immediately wrong, everything looks good from here - if the flash is being set then your begin/rescue block is obvisouly being called OK, which means the deliver_contact_message method must be returning OK - which means it must be something in the actual delivery - one thing to check, in your environment.rb (or in development.rb etc) make sure you have this line uncommented
config.action_mailer.raise_delivery_errors = true
other than that my advice would be to try it out with an alternate smtp server, I tend to use gmail (even though it takes a bit of extra setting up) because I've had trouble in the past with using my own server's smtp (sometimes it works, other times not)
one last thing I didn't notice in your environment.rb
ActionMailer::Base.delivery_method = :smtp
hope one of these helps, if not I recommend trying to setup the simplest version (kinda like I outlined before) and get that working before adding on the extra layers you want for your final production app - then when it breaks you can tell where the trouble is coming in
God I love pastie! it all looks so neat and tidy!
Yeah, I have become a real sucker for pastie. I think I will post all of my (longer) code examples like this in the future.
As for my problem, your advice was gold. I tracked the issue down to my email port, which was not set correctly. I also had some syntax errors in one of my controllers. D'oh!
The mail delivers successfully and all is almost perfect. The only weird glitch is the fact that the user's name is not visible in the email.
User: <%= @name %>
Message:
-----------------------------
<%= @message %>-----------------------------
Submitted at <%=Time.now.to_s %>
I figured it out! I just needed to add @body['name'] = contact.name to the mailer model.
Thanks so much, Baltar!
Couldnt have done it without you