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Ruby

Jordan Aldujaili
Jordan Aldujaili
5,852 Points
Posted by Jordan Aldujaili
Jordan Aldujaili
5,852 Points

string is nil when i try to get the first character

So I'm trying to get the first character in a string using .first and [0]. I have tried some of the other ways to do it using the ruby docs, but im getting the same result. Im getting this error: NoMethodError (undefined method `[]' for nil:NilClass). Any ideas? 

def to_h
    attributes.compact.merge(photo_url: photo.url, first_name: first_name, last_name: last_name, last_name_initial: last_name.first)
end

'last_name' is nil ONLY when I try to extract the first character. Without the first i get this :

first_name: "Lexie",
last_name: "Johnson",
last_name_initial: "Johnson"

1 Answer

Tim Knight
Tim Knight
28,888 Points
Tim Knight
Tim Knight
28,888 Points

Jordan,

I wrote an article back in 2007 that I think might help you: Formatting Names Using Ruby

last_name = "Knight"
puts last_name[0,1]

By using [0,1] you're basically grabbing a substring starting at 0 (the beginning of the string) and going over one character.

Jordan Aldujaili
Jordan Aldujaili
5,852 Points
Jordan Aldujaili
Jordan Aldujaili
5,852 Points

Hi Tim,

Thanks for your reply. Using [0,1] works, but only with the console, and so does .first and [0].. I am still getting the undefined method `[]' for nil:NilClass. So last_name is nil whenever I try to modify it. e.g last_name by itself outputs the last name 'Johnson', but last_name.downcase, i get nil for last_name. Any ideas why I am getting nil for last_name?

Tim Knight
Tim Knight
28,888 Points
Tim Knight
Tim Knight
28,888 Points

Can you share a little more of your code where you're actually defining last_name? It might be able to help either myself or other members see what your issue is.