If a model has a virtual attribute and has a validates_numericality_of validation on it, calling valide? on it will cause an undefined method `attr_name_before_type_cast’ error.

For example, say we have a Product model, and we have a price attribute for whatever reason that doesn’t persist in database:

class Product < ActiveRecord::Base
  attr_accessor :price
  validates_numericality_of :price
end

Now we check the validation:

product = Product.new
product.price = "blah"
product.valid?

Oops, we get this:

NoMethodError: undefined method `price_before_type_cast' for #<Product id: nil, name: nil, created_at: nil, updated_at: nil>

Well, it asks for a price_before_type_cast method, let’s give it one:

def price_before_type_cast
  self.price
end

Somehow I don’t feel liking this solution. Why validates_numericality_of doesn’t work on a virtual attribute?