Javascript – Why are js files in the rails asset pipeline not being compiled

asset-pipelinejavascriptruby-on-rails

I am experiencing a problem similar to this question:
Rails asset pipeline not including required files in application.js manifest However, that question was closed, so I am re-asking it, but with the specifics of my situation.)

Environment:

Ruby 2.0.0, Rails 3.2.8, OSX 10.7.5, Chrome 28.0.1500.95

The main problem I am experiencing

Files placed in "/app/assets/javascripts" do not appear to be compiling to or appearing in "/public/assets"

An Example

If I place a file such as this test.js file in app/assets/javascripts:

  alert("Hello!");

and then reload a page in my app, this alert should appear. (I am replicating what Ryan Bates does in his Railscast on the Asset Pipeline at ~6:30 into the video) However, no alert appears.

Debugging attempts

Some tests I did to try to debug this.

  • (As recommended by @Aidan below) If I "rm -rf public/assets", then
    add "javascript_include_tag 'test'" to my layout, the alert does
    appear. However, maybe because I'm a n00b, I don't know how that
    helps me debug the problem.
  • If I add //= require_test to app/javascripts/application.js to my
    manifest file, this does not result in the alert appearing.

My manifest file (app/javascripts/application.js)

// This is a manifest file that'll be compiled into application.js, which will include all the files
// listed below.
//
// Any JavaScript/Coffee file within this directory, lib/assets/javascripts, vendor/assets/javascripts,
// or vendor/assets/javascripts of plugins, if any, can be referenced here using a relative path.
//
// It's not advisable to add code directly here, but if you do, it'll appear at the bottom of the
// the compiled file.
// removed /sitewide from require_tree
//
// WARNING: THE FIRST BLANK LINE MARKS THE END OF WHAT'S TO BE PROCESSED, ANY BLANK LINE SHOULD
// GO AFTER THE REQUIRES BELOW.
//
//= require jquery
//= require jquery_ujs
//= require_tree .

My application.rb file

 # Enable the asset pipeline
 config.assets.enabled = true

Rails console output for "y Rails.application.config.assets.paths"

"/Users/Anders/Dropbox/dev/suggestion-box-app/app/assets/images",
 "/Users/Anders/Dropbox/dev/suggestion-box-app/app/assets/javascripts",
 "/Users/Anders/Dropbox/dev/suggestion-box-app/app/assets/stylesheets",
 "/Users/Anders/.rvm/gems/ruby-2.0.0-p195@suggestion-box-app/gems/coffee-rails-3.2.2/lib/assets/javascripts",
 "/Users/Anders/.rvm/gems/ruby-2.0.0-p195@suggestion-box-app/gems/jquery-rails-3.0.4/vendor/assets/javascripts"

My views/layouts/application.html.haml file

!!! 5
%html
  %head
    %meta{:charset => "utf-8"}/
    %meta{:content => "width=device-width", :name => "viewport"}/
    %meta{:content => "yes", :name => "apple-mobile-web-app-capable"}/
    %title My App
    %script{:type=>"text/javascript", :src=>"//use.typekit.net/wjb6ybj.js"}
    :javascript
      try{Typekit.load();}catch(e){}
    = stylesheet_link_tag "screen", :media => "all"
    = csrf_meta_tags
    = javascript_include_tag "application"
  %body
    #container
      = render "layouts/flashes"
      = yield
      = render "layouts/footer"

Source from an app page viewed in localhost:3000

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
  <head>
    <meta charset='utf-8'>
    <meta content='width=device-width' name='viewport'>
    <meta content='yes' name='apple-mobile-web-app-capable'>
    <title>My app</title>
    <script src='//use.typekit.net/wjb6ybj.js' type='text/javascript'></script>
    <script>
      try{Typekit.load();}catch(e){}
    </script>
    <link href="/assets/screen.css?body=1" media="all" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" />
    <meta content="authenticity_token" name="csrf-param" />
    <meta content="FqMtH+rs6or9HRx+RL4bWpQyLTNPM8BKLrcf/xZknP8=" name="csrf-token" />
    <script src="/assets/application.js?body=1" type="text/javascript"></script>
  </head>
  <body>
    <div id='container'>
      ....
    </div>
  </body>
</html>

What I see when viewing "localhost:3000/assets/application.js"

    /*!
 * jQuery JavaScript Library v1.9.1
 * http://jquery.com/
 *
 * Includes Sizzle.js
 * http://sizzlejs.com/
 *
 * Copyright 2005, 2012 jQuery Foundation, Inc. and other contributors
 * Released under the MIT license
 * http://jquery.org/license
 *
 * Date: 2013-2-4
 */
(function(e,t){function P(e){var t=e.length,n=b.type(e);return b.isWindow(e)?!1:e.nodeType===1&&t?!0:n==="array"||n!=="function"&&(t===0||typeof t=="number"&&t>0&&t-1 in e)}function B(e){var t=H[e]={};return b.each(e.match(E)||[],function(e,n){t[n]=!0}),t}function I(e,n,r,i){if(!b.acceptData(e))return;var s,o,u=b.expando,a=typeof n=="string",f=e.nodeType,c=f?

[…remainder of jquery excluded]

Should I not see the test.js file here?

Any suggestions as to what the problem might be? Is there any additional info I can provide to help debug this issue? Thanks for any help!

Best Answer

The problem appears to have been related to my rails/gem versions. After updating from Rails 3.2.8 to Rails 3.2.14 (which also required updating the rack gem from 1.4.1 to 1.4.5) the issue was resolved and items in assets/javascripts are now being compiled/added to public/assets. Note that I created a completely new gemset as part doing this, so the issue may have had nothing to do with the Rails version and simply was a questions of a "corrupted" gem set that needed to be re-created.

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