rspec controller ActiveModel::ForbiddenAttributesError

Question

I'm trying to test my controller in rSpec and get the following error:

  1) ClientsController POST create with valid params creates a new Client
     ←[31mFailure/Error:←[0m ←[31mpost :create, {:client => valid_attributes}←[0
m
     ←[31mActiveModel::ForbiddenAttributesError←[0m:
       ←[31mActiveModel::ForbiddenAttributesError←[0m
←[36m     # ./app/controllers/clients_controller.rb:27:in `create'←[0m

I assume it has something to do with the strong parameters. But I have no idea how to set the strong parameters in my rspec test controller (Because it's all describes instead of methods( def ))

I am using let(:valid_attributes) { FactoryGirl.build(:client).attributes } however.

Is the forbiddenattributeserror something from the strong parameters? If so; How do I set my strong parameters in my controller. If not; What does cause this problem?

Here's the Factory I'm using with my :valid_attributes :

FactoryGirl.define do
  factory :client do
    name { 'Willem' }
    birthdate { '1990-10-10' }
    background { '#ff0000'}
  end
end

One of the failures is:

  1) ClientsController PUT update with valid params updates the requested client

     ←[31mFailure/Error:←[0m ←[31mput :update, {:id => client.to_param, :client
=> valid_attributes}←[0m
       ←[31m#<Client:0x6c8e140> received :update with unexpected arguments←[0m
       ←[31m  expected: ({"id"=>nil, "name"=>"Willem", "avatar"=>nil, "birthdate
"=>Wed, 10 Oct 1990, "background"=>"#ff0000", "group_id"=>nil, "created_at"=>nil
, "updated_at"=>nil})←[0m
       ←[31m       got: ({"name"=>"Willem", "avatar"=>nil, "birthdate"=>"1990-10
-10", "background"=>"#ff0000", "group_id"=>nil})←[0m
←[36m     # ./app/controllers/clients_controller.rb:44:in `block in update'←[0m
←[36m     # ./app/controllers/clients_controller.rb:43:in `update'←[0m
←[36m     # ./spec/controllers/clients_controller_spec.rb:112:in `block (4 level
s) in <top (required)>'←[0m

The description leads to:

  it "updates the requested client" do
    client = Client.create! valid_attributes
    Client.any_instance.should_receive(:update).with(valid_attributes)
    put :update, {:id => client.to_param, :client => valid_attributes}
  end

Answer 1

You don't have to set the strong parameters in RSpec, just be sure to send the right object, example:

post new_client_path, client: FactoryGirl.build(:client).attributes

Else, what is the server log saying? There should be an error of what is causing this problem. Could you provide a copy of it here?