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ruby-on-railsredmineredmine-plugins

stack level to deep Rails 2.3.14


I'm developing a plugin for a management framework and when I start the webrick server in the development mode, a strange error raises(stack level too deep). It happens when an action (e.g. the show action) starts to render a template. Unfortunately i have no idea why this is happen.

SystemStackError in Stories#show

Showing vendor/plugins/stories/app/views/stories/show.rhtml where line #5 raised:

stack level too deep

Extracted source (around line #5):

    5: link_to_if_authorized 'aa', {:controller => "stories", :action => "index", :id => @story.id, :project_id => @story.project.id}, :title => l(:view_story), :class => 'icon icon-zoom-out'
    6: link_to_if_authorized 'bb', {:controller => "stories", :action => "edit", :id => @story.id, :project_id => @story.project.id}, :title => l(:button_edit), :class => 'icon icon-edit'
    7: link_to 'bb', {:id => @story.id, :project_id => @story.project.id}, :confirm => 'Really  delete?', :method => :delete, :class => 'icon icon-del' if User.current.allowed_to? (:delete_stories, @project)

    RAILS_ROOT: /home/haendwic/Documents/Aptana Studio 3 Workspace/1.4-stable-SVN
    Application Trace | Framework Trace | Full Trace

    /var/lib/gems/1.8/gems/activerecord-2.3.14/lib/active_record/attribute_methods.rb:248:in method_missing'
    /var/lib/gems/1.8/gems/activerecord-2.3.14/lib/active_record/attribute_methods.rb:249:in method_missing'
     /var/lib/gems/1.8/gems/activerecord-2.3.14/lib/active_record/associations /association_proxy.rb:215:in send'
     /var/lib/gems/1.8/gems/activerecord-2.3.14/lib/active_record/associations/association_proxy.rb:215:in method_missing'
     /home/haendwic/Documents/Aptana Studio 3 Workspace/1.4-stable-SVN/vendor/plugins/stories/app/views/stories/show.rhtml:5:in  _run_rhtml_vendor47plugins47stories47app47views47stories47show46rhtml'
     /var/lib/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.3.14/lib/action_view/renderable.rb:34:in send'
      /var/lib/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.3.14/lib/action_view/renderable.rb:34:in render'
      /var/lib/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.3.14/lib/action_view/base.rb:306:in with_template'
      /var/lib/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.3.14/lib/action_view/renderable.rb:30:in render'
      /var/lib/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.3.14/lib/action_view/template.rb:205:in render_template'
     /var/lib/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.3.14/lib/action_view/base.rb:265:in render'
     /var/lib/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.3.14/lib/action_view/base.rb:348:in _render_with_layout'
     /var/lib/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.3.14/lib/action_view/base.rb:262:in render'
     /var/lib/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.3.14/lib/action_controller/base.rb:1252:in render_for_file'
     /var/lib/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.3.14/lib/action_controller/base.rb:936:in render_without_benchmark'
    /var/lib/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.3.14/lib/action_controller/benchmarking.rb:51:in render'
    /var/lib/gems/1.8/gems/activesupport-2.3.14/lib/active_support/core_ext/benchmark.rb:17:in ms'
    /usr/lib/ruby/1.8/benchmark.rb:308:in realtime'
    /var/lib/gems/1.8/gems/activesupport-2.3.14/lib/active_support/core_ext/benchmark.rb:17:in ms'
    /var/lib/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.3.14/lib/action_controller/benchmarking.rb:51:in render'
/home/haendwic/Documents/Aptana Studio 3 Workspace/1.4-stable-SVN/vendor/plugins/stories/app/controllers/stories_controller.rb:104:in show'
     /var/lib/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.3.14/lib/action_controller/mime_responds.rb:135:in call'
      /var/lib/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.3.14/lib/action_controller/mime_responds.rb:135:in custom'
     /var/lib/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.3.14/lib/action_controller/mime_responds.rb:179:in call'
     /var/lib/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.3.14/lib/action_controller/mime_responds.rb:179:in respond'
     /var/lib/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.3.14/lib/action_controller/mime_responds.rb:173:in each'
     /var/lib/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.3.14/lib/action_controller/mime_responds.rb:173:in respond'
      /var/lib/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.3.14/lib/action_controller/mime_responds.rb:107:in respond_to'
    /home/haendwic/Documents/Aptana Studio 3 Workspace/1.4-stable-SVN/vendor/plugins/stories/app/controllers/stories_controller.rb:102:in show'
     /var/lib/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.3.14/lib/action_controller/base.rb:1333:in send'
     /var/lib/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.3.14/lib/action_controller/base.rb:1333:in perform_action_without_filters'
/var/lib/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.3.14/lib/action_controller/filters.rb:617:in call_filters'
     /var/lib/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.3.14/lib/action_controller/filters.rb:610:in perform_action_without_benchmark'
     /var/lib/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.3.14/lib/action_controller/benchmarking.rb:68:in perform_action_without_rescue'
     /var/lib/gems/1.8/gems/activesupport-2.3.14/lib/active_support/core_ext/benchmark.rb:17:in ms'
     /usr/lib/ruby/1.8/benchmark.rb:308:in realtime'
     /var/lib/gems/1.8/gems/activesupport-2.3.14/lib/active_support/core_ext/benchmark.rb:17:in ms'
     /var/lib/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.3.14/lib/action_controller/benchmarking.rb:68:in perform_action_without_rescue'
     /var/lib/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.3.14/lib/action_controller/rescue.rb:160:in perform_action_without_flash'
     /var/lib/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.3.14/lib/action_controller/flash.rb:151:in perform_action'
     /var/lib/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.3.14/lib/action_controller/base.rb:532:in send'
     /var/lib/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.3.14/lib/action_controller/base.rb:532:in process_without_filters'
     /var/lib/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.3.14/lib/action_controller/filters.rb:606:in process'
     /var/lib/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.3.14/lib/action_controller/base.rb:391:in process'
     /var/lib/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.3.14/lib/action_controller/base.rb:386:in call'
     /var/lib/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.3.14/lib/action_controller/routing/route_set.rb:438:in call'
     /var/lib/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.3.14/lib/action_controller/dispatcher.rb:87:in dispatch'
    /var/lib/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.3.14/lib/action_controller/dispatcher.rb:121:in _call'
    /var/lib/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.3.14/lib/action_controller/dispatcher.rb:130:in build_middleware_stack'
    /var/lib/gems/1.8/gems/activerecord-2.3.14/lib/active_record/query_cache.rb:29:in call'
    /var/lib/gems/1.8/gems/activerecord-2.3.14/lib/active_record/query_cache.rb:29:in call'
    /var/lib/gems/1.8/gems/activerecord-2.3.14/lib/active_record/connection_adapters/abstract/query_cache.rb:34:in cache'
     /var/lib/gems/1.8/gems/activerecord-2.3.14/lib/active_record/query_cache.rb:9:in cache'
     /var/lib/gems/1.8/gems/activerecord-2.3.14/lib/active_record/query_cache.rb:28:in call'
     /var/lib/gems/1.8/gems/activerecord-2.3.14/lib/active_record/connection_adapters/abstract/connection_pool.rb:361:in call'
    /var/lib/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.3.14/lib/action_controller/string_coercion.rb:25:in call'
    /var/lib/gems/1.8/gems/rack-1.1.3/lib/rack/head.rb:9:in call'
    /var/lib/gems/1.8/gems/rack-1.1.3/lib/rack/methodoverride.rb:24:in call'
    /var/lib/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.3.14/lib/action_controller/params_parser.rb:15:in call'
    /var/lib/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.3.14/lib/action_controller/session /cookie_store.rb:99:in call'
    /var/lib/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.3.14/lib/action_controller/failsafe.rb:26:in call'
    /var/lib/gems/1.8/gems/rack-1.1.3/lib/rack/lock.rb:11:in call'
    /var/lib/gems/1.8/gems/rack-1.1.3/lib/rack/lock.rb:11:in synchronize'
    /var/lib/gems/1.8/gems/rack-1.1.3/lib/rack/lock.rb:11:in call'
    /var/lib/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.3.14/lib/action_controller/dispatcher.rb:114:in call'
    /var/lib/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.3.14/lib/action_controller/reloader.rb:34:in run'
    /var/lib/gems/1.8/gems/actionpack-2.3.14/lib/action_controller/dispatcher.rb:108:in call'
    /var/lib/gems/1.8/gems/rails-2.3.14/lib/rails/rack/static.rb:31:in call'
    /var/lib/gems/1.8/gems/rack-1.1.3/lib/rack/urlmap.rb:47:in call'
    /var/lib/gems/1.8/gems/rack-1.1.3/lib/rack/urlmap.rb:41:in each'
    /var/lib/gems/1.8/gems/rack-1.1.3/lib/rack/urlmap.rb:41:in call'
    /var/lib/gems/1.8/gems/rails-2.3.14/lib/rails/rack/log_tailer.rb:17:in call'
    /var/lib/gems/1.8/gems/rack-1.1.3/lib/rack/content_length.rb:13:in call'
    /var/lib/gems/1.8/gems/rack-1.1.3/lib/rack/handler/webrick.rb:48:in service'
    /usr/lib/ruby/1.8/webrick/httpserver.rb:104:in service'
    /usr/lib/ruby/1.8/webrick/httpserver.rb:65:in run'
    /usr/lib/ruby/1.8/webrick/server.rb:173:in start_thread'
    /usr/lib/ruby/1.8/webrick/server.rb:162:in start'
    /usr/lib/ruby/1.8/webrick/server.rb:162:in start_thread'
    /usr/lib/ruby/1.8/webrick/server.rb:95:in start'
    /usr/lib/ruby/1.8/webrick/server.rb:92:in each'
    /usr/lib/ruby/1.8/webrick/server.rb:92:in start'
    /usr/lib/ruby/1.8/webrick/server.rb:23:in start'
    /usr/lib/ruby/1.8/webrick/server.rb:82:in start'
    /var/lib/gems/1.8/gems/rack-1.1.3/lib/rack/handler/webrick.rb:14:in run'
    /var/lib/gems/1.8/gems/rails-2.3.14/lib/commands/server.rb:111
    script/server:3:in require'
    script/server:3
Request

Parameters:

{"project_id"=>"1",
 "id"=>"2"}

Show session dump
Response

Headers:

{"Cache-Control"=>"no-cache",
 "Content-Type"=>"text/html"}

and here is the action from the controller

def show 
 @edit_allowed = User.current.allowed_to?(:edit_stories, @project)
 respond_to do |format|
  format.html {
    render :template => 'stories/show'
  }
  format.api
  format.pdf  { send_data(story_to_pdf(@story), :type => 'application/pdf', :filename => "#{@project.identifier}-#{@story.id}.pdf") }
 end                                
end

and at last a part of the view

     link_to_if_authorized 'aa', {:controller => "stories", :action => "index", :id => @story.id, :project_id => @story.project.id}, :title => l(:view_story), :class => 'icon icon-zoom-out'
     link_to_if_authorized 'bb', {:controller => "stories", :action => "edit", :id => @story.id, :project_id => @story.project.id}, :title => l(:button_edit), :class => 'icon icon-edit' 
    link_to 'bb', {:id => @story.id, :project_id => @story.project.id}, :confirm => 'Really delete?', :method => :delete, :class => 'icon icon-del' if User.current.allowed_to?(:delete_stories, @project) 

Maybe it's important to say, that in the production mode the plugin is stable and routes the actions (incl. show) correctly


Solution

  • This is typically caused by you (or others) patching core models (probably the Project model) from a plugin without taking the rails reloader into account.

    If you override methods (e.g. using alias_method_chain) and your patch is loaded twice, you can easily create an infinite loop when calling the old method.

    # This is our initial class
    class MyClass
      def foo
        puts "original foo"
      end
    end
    
    module Patch
      def self.included(base)
        base.alias_method_chain :foo, :feature
      end
    
      def foo_with_feature
        foo_without_feature # call the "original" method
        puts "foo with feature"
      end
    end
    
    # patch the class
    MyClass.send(:include, Patch)
    
    # Now call the patched method
    MyClass.new.foo
    # prints:
    #   original foo
    #   foo with feature
    

    foo now refers to the method foo_with_feature while the original foo method now is accessible from foo_without_feature

    All right, until now everything looked good. Now let's see what happens, if we load our patch again

    # patch again
    MyClass.send(:include, Patch)
    
    # And call the method again
    MyClass.new.foo
    # SystemStackError: stack level too deep
    #   from (irb):7:in `foo_without_feature'
    #   from (irb):7:in `foo'
    #   from (irb):27
    

    You see a SystemStackError caused by an infinite loop. This is because after the second loading of the patch, foo_without_feature now refers to the foo_with_feature method from the first patch. When calling it, it will over and over again call foo_without_feature until the stack is full.

    You said that it only crashes on the second request. This is exactly the typical behavior when something is odd on the class reloader. By default, Rails will reload all classes on every request in development mode but only once in production mode.

    Taming the rails reloader is a bit tricky sometimes. As some general guidelines, you should

    1. use require_dependency instead of require when loading patches
    2. load your patches using Dispatcher.to_prepare
    3. always declare the patched classes unloadable

    The most critical part is using Dispatcher.to_prepare. It is a callback which is called once in production mode and before each request in development mode and is thus the ideal place for loading patches.

    As a side note though: When using Redmine 2 (or the upcoming ChiliProject 4), i.e. Rails 3, the class patching will be rather different from this approach - most probably easier.