Til Tracker

Routing Error for static files (`/documents/cv.pdf`) in development

Issue: Linking to PDFs I placed in public/documents/ resulted in No route matches [GET] /documents/cv.pdf in the development environment.
Cause: By default, the Rails development environment often doesn't serve static files from the public directory. This is typically enabled only in production for performance reasons.
Resolution:
1. I enabled static file serving in development by setting config.public_file_server.enabled = true in config/environments/development.rb.
2. I ensured the PDF files were correctly placed in til_tracker/public/documents/.
3. I restarted the Rails server (./bin/dev).
Learning: To serve static assets (like PDFs, images) directly from the public folder in the development environment, I learned I must explicitly set config.public_file_server.enabled = true in config/environments/development.rb and restart the server. In production, this is usually handled by the webserver (like Nginx or Apache) or enabled by default in production.rb.

Tags: rails-core environment-setup frontend error-handling debugging

Learned on: April 22, 2024 Edit

Task: Refine 'Log New Learning' form UI/UX

Task: Refine the UI/UX of the "Log New Learning" form (learnings/_form.html.erb) to align with 37signals principles (better spacing, guidance, alignment, font consistency).
Details: I focused on using standard Rails helpers, hand-crafted CSS, and HTML attributes (placeholder) for clear guidance, consistent spacing/fonts, and alignment with the index page layout. I used the _form.html.erb partial.
Learning: Good form UI involves clear labels, helpful placeholders, logical grouping (.form-group), consistent spacing/typography, and alignment with surrounding page elements. Using partials for DRY forms is good practice.

Tags: frontend ui ux css html rails view form form_with partial 37signals

Learned on: April 19, 2024 Edit

Incorrect element movement broke layout (`form_with`/Turbo)

Task: Move "Delete Selected" button to top, next to "Log New Learning".
Issue: Initial attempt incorrectly moved the entire learnings list (which was inside the form_with) along with the button form, breaking the layout significantly.
Resolution: I reverted the changes and restructured the view (learnings/index.html.erb). I moved only the submit button (<input type="submit">) into the top .actions div. Then, I ensured the main form_with tag wrapped the entire area containing both the actions/button *and* the list with checkboxes.
Learning: I learned to be careful when moving elements within complex form structures (form_with), especially those interacting with Turbo Frames or Streams. I need to ensure only the intended element is relocated and that the form still correctly encompasses all necessary inputs (checkboxes, submit button). Incorrect nesting can break form submission or layout.

Tags: frontend ui ux layout html css rails view form_with turbo

Learned on: April 19, 2024 Edit

Initial Render deployment failed (Static Site vs Web Service)

Context: My initial deployment attempt on Render using the Static Site service type failed. The Static Site service type is only for pre-built HTML/CSS/JS files and does not run a backend server process like Rails requires (Puma).
Resolution: I deleted the Static Site service and created a new Web Service on Render.
Learning: Rails applications require a dynamic backend environment capable of running a server process (like Puma). I learned to use Render's "Web Service" type, not "Static Site", for deploying my Rails app.

Tags: deployment-ci rails-core

Learned on: April 14, 2024 Edit

Request spec failures (`StaticPages` 404s)

Context: My request specs failed: StaticPages GET /... returns http success failed with Expected response to be a <2XX: success>, but was a <404: Not Found>. This occurred for /home, /hire_me, /about specs in spec/requests/static_pages_spec.rb. The specs were using hardcoded string paths (e.g., get "/static_pages/home") that didn't match the actual routes defined in config/routes.rb.
Resolution: I updated the specs to use the correct Rails path helpers (get root_path, get hire_me_path, get about_path) defined by config/routes.rb.
Learning: I learned to always use Rails path helpers (e.g., root_path, learnings_path, hire_me_path) in request/system specs instead of hardcoding URL strings. This ensures tests remain accurate even if routes change and avoids simple 404 errors. Using rails routes helps check available helpers.

Tags: testing rails-core rspec request-spec routes path-helpers configuration

Learned on: April 14, 2024 Edit

Request spec failure (`render_template` matcher missing)

Context: My request spec failed: Failure/Error: expect(response).to render_template(:new) ... assert_template has been extracted to a gem. To continue using it, add gem 'rails-controller-testing' to your Gemfile. The render_template matcher in RSpec request specs relies on functionality (assert_template) that is no longer part of Rails core.
Resolution: I added gem 'rails-controller-testing' to the :test group in the Gemfile and ran bundle install.
Learning: I learned to be aware that testing helpers previously included in Rails core might be extracted into separate gems in newer versions. Error messages usually indicate the required gem (rails-controller-testing for render_template, assigns, assert_template).

Tags: testing rails-core rspec request-spec dependencies gem controller-testing gemfile

Learned on: April 14, 2024 Edit

Feature: Implemented tag filtering

Action: I implemented the tag filtering feature.
Details: I added a tag_list helper to the Learning model (simple tags.split(',').map(&:strip)). I updated LearningsController#index to filter by params[:tag] (where("tags LIKE ?", "%#{params[:tag]}%")) and collect unique tags for the view (Learning.pluck(:tags).flat_map { |t| t.split(',') }.uniq). I updated index.html.erb with a turbo_frame_tag around the list, clickable tag links (link_to tag, learnings_path(tag: tag)), and filter controls. I added basic CSS styling for tags.
Learning: I learned that simple string-based tags (comma-separated) can be made functional for filtering using basic Rails querying (LIKE or string_to_array in PG) and Turbo Frames for efficient UI updates without full page reloads, adhering to the 37signals principle of starting simple.

Tags: feature rails-core model controller view tags filtering turbo hotwire sql like css ui 37signals

Learned on: April 14, 2024 Edit

NoMethodError: undefined method `learned_on` on `new` learning page

Context: The new.html.erb view tried to access @learning.learned_on to set the default value for the date field (value: @learning.learned_on || Date.today), causing NoMethodError.
Resolution: I changed the date_field value in the view to just value: Date.today. The @learning instance created by LearningsController#new (Learning.new) is unsaved and doesn't have attributes populated from database defaults until saved.
Learning: I learned to be mindful of when database defaults are applied (on save) versus needing to set defaults explicitly in the controller (Model.new(attr: default)) or view (value: default) for new object instances presented in forms.

Tags: rails-core controller view form model date nomethoderror database default

Learned on: April 13, 2024 Edit

Feature: Implemented retroactive learning logging

Feature: I implemented retroactive learning logging.
Details: I added learned_on date field (type: :date, null: false, default: 'CURRENT_DATE') to the Learning model/migration. I updated the controller learning_params to permit :learned_on. I updated index sorting to use ORDER BY learned_on DESC, created_at DESC. I added a date_field to _form.html.erb. I updated index view display.
Learning: I learned that using SQL default CURRENT_DATE is effective for database-level defaults upon record creation. However, for new, unsaved records in a form, a default needs to be set in the view (e.g., <%= form.date_field :learned_on, value: Date.today %>) or controller (@learning = Learning.new(learned_on: Date.today)).

Tags: feature rails-core model migration controller view form database sql date

Learned on: April 13, 2024 Edit

Project cleanup: Removed unused Rails directories/files

What I Did: Performed project cleanup to align with the 37signals minimal approach.
Details: I identified and removed standard Rails directories/files not actively used: app/jobs/, app/mailers/, app/helpers/, app/controllers/concerns/, vendor/, script/, storage/, corresponding spec/helpers/ files. I removed configuration files for unused tools/services: .kamal/, .github/ (partially, CI kept), Dockerfile, .dockerignore, .rubocop.yml. I removed default Rails icons from public/.
Learning: I learned to regularly review the default Rails structure and remove components not essential to the application's core functionality to maintain simplicity and reduce clutter, checking project requirements.

Tags: workflow rails-core project-management

Learned on: April 13, 2024 Edit

`rbenv exec rails db:create` failed (`ActiveRecord::ConnectionNotEstablished`)

Context: rbenv exec rails db:create failed with ActiveRecord::ConnectionNotEstablished. The PostgreSQL server was not running or accessible.
Resolution: I started the PostgreSQL service (e.g., brew services start postgresql).
Learning: I learned to ensure required background services like databases are running before Rails attempts to connect to them (e.g., rails db:create, rails server). Checking service status (brew services list) is important.

Tags: database environment-setup rails-core

Learned on: April 09, 2024 Edit

NoMethodError: undefined method `pluralize` in controller

Context: The destroy_multiple action in LearningsController tried to use the pluralize helper directly, resulting in NoMethodError.
Resolution: I changed the call to view_context.pluralize to access the view helper context from the controller.
Learning: I learned that view helpers like pluralize are part of ActionView and must be accessed via view_context when called from within a controller action.

Tags: rails-core error-handling

Learned on: April 09, 2024 Edit

Rails generator failed for model name `Til`

Context: I was trying to generate the primary model for the application as Til. The generator reported The name 'Til' is either already used....
Resolution: I switched to using the name Learning for the model and LearningsController for the associated controller. I generated these components successfully and removed the previous partially generated/conflicting Til files and migration. I updated TASK.md and routes.rb accordingly.
Learning: I learned to be aware of potential naming collisions with Rails internals or reserved words, even if not strictly listed. Choosing a slightly more descriptive or different name can avoid generator issues.

Tags: rails-core workflow naming-convention

Learned on: April 08, 2024 Edit