Add to Integer Variable from Rails Controller

Question

This should be a fairly simple error to fix (I hope). When a joke on my app is approved, I want that user to be awarded 5 manpoints (don't ask). I currently have this in my 'jokes_controller`:

  def approve
    @joke = Joke.find(params[:id])
    @joke.update_attributes(approved: true)
    if @joke.user.manpoints = nil
      @joke.user.manpoints = 5
    else
      @joke.user.manpoints += 5
    end
    @joke.save
    redirect_to jokes_path
  end

I'm getting this error when I try to approve a joke:

undefined method `+' for nil:NilClass

I thought += was the "Ruby way" to do this? Can anyone set me straight?

Answer 1

Change = in if condition to == . I assume you need to compare manpoints with nil , not to assign nil to manpoints. It should be like:

if @joke.user.manpoints == nil
  ...

You can omit == operator here:

unless @joke.user.manpoints
  ...

PS. Why are you excepting that manpoints will be nil ?