Puzzled by Rails exception notification system.

Question

[update2] One of those problems I solved & can't remember how... :)

[update1] could this be a problem in the model?

  PAYPAL_CERT_PEM = File.read("#{Rails.root}/certs/paypal_cert.pem")
  APP_CERT_PEM = File.read("#{Rails.root}/certs/app_cert.pem")
  APP_KEY_PEM = File.read("#{Rails.root}/certs/app_key.pem")

The page I'm trying to access on my site is the cart page for paypal purchases. Notwithstanding the trouble of getting to this error in the production log amidst an apparent DoS attack, I have no experience working with the exception notifier. What's being called (by my code) is an encryption method in the model for each 'buy now' button. Please help me diagnose the problem.

Rendering .../public/500.html (500 Error)
rendering section "request"
/!\ FAILSAFE /!\  Fri Jan 16 14:59:54 +0000 2009
  Status: 500 Internal Server Error

ActionView::TemplateError (protected method `filter_parameters' called for #<PurchaseController:0x7f053d26e280>) on line #3 of vendor/plugins/exception_notification/views/exception_notifier/_request.rhtml:
    1: * URL       : <%= @request.protocol %><%= @host %><%= @request.request_uri %>
    2: * IP address: <%= @request.env["HTTP_X_FORWARDED_FOR"] || @request.env["REMOTE_ADDR"] %>
    3: * Parameters: <%= filter_sensitive_post_data_parameters(@request.parameters).inspect %>
    4: * Rails root: <%= @rails_root %>

Answer 1

Not an answer to your question, but something that will help.

I've recently come to love the Hoptoad gem and site for grouping and reporting exceptions with my app in production. Extremely easy to install and no more trawling through my production logs.

I say switch to this from excpetion notification and see if it helps.

Answer 2

The ActionView::TemplateError you've posted is caused by a failure of Exception Notifier in rendering a 500 error page (line #3 of Exception Notifier's own _request.html partial). The more interesting exception is probably the one that came before and caused the 500 in the first place.

Answer 3

If you are using a "later" version of rails, you probably need to make this change: http://www.floydprice.com/2008/08/exception-notifier-in-rails-21/