Question

def update 
 @user = User.find(params[:id]) 
 if @user.update_attributes(params[:user])
      render :action => show
  end
      render :template => "fix_user_errors"
end

The previous code will generate an error (because render is called twice) in the case where update_attributes succeeds.
The act of calling render (and redirect_to) should somehow terminate the processing of an action?But its not why?

Answer 1

render doesn’t actually terminate the processing of the action.

You need to add an else to your if statement:

if @user.update_attributes(params[:user])
  render :action => show
else
  render :template => "fix_user_errors"
end

I think you can also use “return render …” which will return immediately from the action method but this might have unintended consequences.