TidyApps

A quick answer to a problem that’s not obvious but is easy to solve.

If users occasionally get a 422 error (usually when trying to logon) saying:
The change you wanted was rejected.
Maybe you tried to change something you didn’t have access to.

The server error is:
ActionController::InvalidAuthenticityToken (ActionController::InvalidAuthenticityToken)
/public/422.html (422 Unprocessable Entity)

It’s because the user has disabled cookies! It’s up to you to catch and deal with it better.

Processing SessionsController#create (for 163.1.180.9 at 2009-07-31 14:23:25) [POST]
  Parameters: {"commit"=>"Sign in", "action"=>"create", "authenticity_token"=>"z8VBO3J6AgbgzrwAYTc/ZLAQIf6zwnATa3GfI8xTUEw=", "to"=>"", "controller"=>"sessions", "password"=>"[FILTERED]", "email"=>"", "remember_me"=>"1"}

ActionController::InvalidAuthenticityToken (ActionController::InvalidAuthenticityToken):
  passenger (2.2.4) lib/phusion_passenger/rack/request_handler.rb:91:in `process_request'
  passenger (2.2.4) lib/phusion_passenger/abstract_request_handler.rb:206:in `main_loop'
  passenger (2.2.4) lib/phusion_passenger/railz/application_spawner.rb:376:in `start_request_handler'
  passenger (2.2.4) lib/phusion_passenger/railz/application_spawner.rb:334:in `handle_spawn_application'
  passenger (2.2.4) lib/phusion_passenger/utils.rb:182:in `safe_fork'
  passenger (2.2.4) lib/phusion_passenger/railz/application_spawner.rb:332:in `handle_spawn_application'
  passenger (2.2.4) lib/phusion_passenger/abstract_server.rb:351:in `__send__'
  passenger (2.2.4) lib/phusion_passenger/abstract_server.rb:351:in `main_loop'
  passenger (2.2.4) lib/phusion_passenger/abstract_server.rb:195:in `start_synchronously'
  passenger (2.2.4) lib/phusion_passenger/abstract_server.rb:162:in `start'
  passenger (2.2.4) lib/phusion_passenger/railz/application_spawner.rb:213:in `start'
  passenger (2.2.4) lib/phusion_passenger/spawn_manager.rb:261:in `spawn_rails_application'
  passenger (2.2.4) lib/phusion_passenger/abstract_server_collection.rb:126:in `lookup_or_add'
  passenger (2.2.4) lib/phusion_passenger/spawn_manager.rb:255:in `spawn_rails_application'
  passenger (2.2.4) lib/phusion_passenger/abstract_server_collection.rb:80:in `synchronize'
  passenger (2.2.4) lib/phusion_passenger/abstract_server_collection.rb:79:in `synchronize'
  passenger (2.2.4) lib/phusion_passenger/spawn_manager.rb:254:in `spawn_rails_application'
  passenger (2.2.4) lib/phusion_passenger/spawn_manager.rb:153:in `spawn_application'
  passenger (2.2.4) lib/phusion_passenger/spawn_manager.rb:286:in `handle_spawn_application'
  passenger (2.2.4) lib/phusion_passenger/abstract_server.rb:351:in `__send__'
  passenger (2.2.4) lib/phusion_passenger/abstract_server.rb:351:in `main_loop'
  passenger (2.2.4) lib/phusion_passenger/abstract_server.rb:195:in `start_synchronously'

Rendering /public/422.html (422 Unprocessable Entity)

Hope that helps someone.

Help

All over the internet mysterious little tabs have started popping into the edges of or browser windows. Webapps right across the planet seem to be afflicted with this new curse. The WHO must surely now declare this a pandemic. What’s the cure? I believe the answer could lie in the hands of ENTP’s TenderSupport!

Providing help for your webapp is very important. Your users need to feel like they’ve got somewhere to go if they get stuck or find a problem, and you need to have a way to manage their requests and provide them with informative articles to point them back in the right direction. It’s a key part of your product.

I think the new tab popout is being misused. It’s great for trying to determine what your users really want and it’s got a novelty factor but I think it distracts from what’s really required in a help system, and that’s to provide good clear help. UserVoice and GetSatisfaction do similar things (as their key feature) – they quickly gather user’s opinions or problems and allow other users to bump up the priority of other user’s opinions or problems. That’s fun, but what users really want is to find the answer to their problems (as the key feature). That’s what TenderSupport does best and that’s why I’ve chosen them for bookwhen’s help.

Afterthought: I have to admit that I caught the tabmania virus briefly too and slapped UserVoice’s on whichweekend. I went with them over GetSatisfaction because I slightly preferred their user interface. Since reading 37Signal’s rant (which was harsh!), I’m glad I did as I marginally agree. Also, they don’t let you delete your account! Grr.