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Ruby Ruby Loops Build a Simple Contact List Part 3: Printing The Contact List

Carl Conroy
Carl Conroy
8,677 Points
Posted by Carl Conroy
Carl Conroy
8,677 Points

Getting "NoMethod Error" even with code directly from Teacher's Notes.

My code is below. Can I get an extra set of eyes to see what might be wrong here? The program itself runs fine but it does not print out anything once the user states they do not want to add another. Instead, I get a NoMethod Error which is caused by the line 

puts "Name: #{contact["name"]}"

The error reads "contact_list.rb:32:in block in <main>': undefined method[]' for nil:NilClass (NoMethodError)
from contact_list.rb:31:in each' from contact_list.rb:31:in<main>' "

Any help is appreciated.

contact_list = []
def ask(question, kind="string")
  print question + " "
  answer = gets.chomp
  answer = answer.to_i if kind == "number"
  return answer
end

def add_contact
  contact = {"name" => "", "phone_numbers" => []}
  contact["name"] = ask("What is the person's name?")
  answer = ""
  while answer != "n"
    answer = ask("Do you want to add a phone number? (y/n)")
    if answer == "y"
      phone = ask("Enter a phone number:")
      contact["phone_numbers"].push(phone)
    end
  end
end

answer = ""
while answer != "n"
  contact_list.push(add_contact())
  answer = ask("Add another? y/n")
end

puts "---"

contact_list.each do |contact|
  puts "Name: #{contact["name"]}"
  if contact["phone_numbers"].size > 0
    contact["phone_numbers"].each do |phone_number|
      puts "Phone: #{phone_number}"
      end
    end
puts "----"
end

1 Answer

Jon Dalberg
Jon Dalberg
6,788 Points
Jon Dalberg
Jon Dalberg
6,788 Points

In your "add_contact" method you need to return the "contact" object you have created. In Ruby the result of the last statement of a method will be the return value for that method unless you explicitly return something else. In your case, the last thing to happen is your "while" loop which returns "nil". Add a new line after your while loop and just put the "contact" variable there and it will not give you that error.

def add_contact
  contact = {"name" => "", "phone_numbers" => []}
  contact["name"] = ask("What is the person's name?")
  answer = ""
  while answer != "n"
    answer = ask("Do you want to add a phone number? (y/n)")
    if answer == "y"
      phone = ask("Enter a phone number:")
      contact["phone_numbers"].push(phone)
    end
  end
  contact
end
Ahmed Mohamed Fouad
Ahmed Mohamed Fouad
11,735 Points

thanks this solved my problem too