An error occurred while trying to call Controller->createAction() - typo3

Question

I am trying to create something with extbase, but the error-message I get is not very helpful. I took the blog_example extension as a guide. A (maybe) important difference is: I don't have a database table because I want to write a custom domain repository that connects to an external servive through REST.
The actual error message (displayed above the plugin, not as an exception message):
An error occurred while trying to call Tx_MyExt_Controller_SubscriptionController->createAction()
Classes/Controller/SubscriptionController:
Stripped down to the important parts.
class Tx_MyExt_Controller_SubscriptionController extends Tx_Extbase_MVC_Controller_ActionController
{
/**
* #var Tx_MyExt_Domain_Repository_SubscriberRepository
*/
protected $subscriberRepository;
/**
* #return void
*/
public function initializeAction()
{
$this->subscriberRepository = t3lib_div::makeInstance('Tx_MyExt_Domain_Repository_SubscriberRepository');
}
/**
* #param Tx_MyExt_Domain_Model_Subscriber $subscriber
* #dontvalidate $subscriber
* #return string The rendered view
*/
public function newAction(Tx_MyExt_Domain_Model_Subscriber $subscriber = null)
{
$this->view->assign('subscriber', $subscriber);
}
/**
* #param Tx_MyExt_Domain_Model_Subscriber $subscriber
* #return string The rendered view
*/
public function createAction(Tx_MyExt_Domain_Model_Subscriber $subscriber)
{ }
}
Classes/Domain/Model/Subscriber
class Tx_MyExt_Domain_Model_Subscriber extends Tx_Extbase_DomainObject_AbstractEntity
{
/**
* #var string
* #dontvalidate
*/
protected $email = '';
/**
* #param string $email
* #return void
*/
public function setEmail($email)
{
$this->email = $email;
}
/**
* #return string
*/
public function getEmail()
{
return $this->email;
}
}
Resources/Private/Templates/Subscription/new
<f:form action="create" controller="Subscription" objectName="Subscriber" object="{subscriber}" method="post">
<f:form.textfield property="email"></f:form.textfield>
<f:form.submit value="submit"></f:form.submit>
</f:form>
Facts
Adding $subscriber = null removes the message. But $subscriber is null then
A var_dump($this->request->getArguments()); displays the form's fields
There is an index action, and it is also the first action defined in ext_localconf.php
The hints and solutions I found aren't working for me, so I hope someone can guide me into the right direction.

Answer 1

I've got the same bug.
If you pass an Model as argument to an method, it will also validate the model fields.
I've had this annotation on my model property:
/**
*
* #var \string
* #validate NotEmpty
*/
It validates the "#validate" annotation.
The field in the database was empty so i got the error message
An error occurred while trying to call ...
It would be good if there was a better error message.
You need to customize the validation annotation or verify that the property is not empty in the database
Hope it helps somebody

Answer 2

In addtion: check any Validations in your Model and your TCA. If a field is marked as #validate NotEmpty in your Model and is not marked appropriately in the TCA, a record can be saved ignoring the #validate settings in the Model. This can happen if you change the Model and/or TCA after creating records.
An example:
Field 'textfield' is set to not validate, both in the TCA and the Model. You create a new record and save it without filling in the field 'textfield' (you can, it is not set to validate). You then change the Model setting 'textfield' to #validate NotEmpty and then try to show the record on the FE, you will get the error.
The solution for that example:
Simply remove the validation in your Model OR check validations in the TCA and Model so that they work together.
--
A German blog post covers this solution: http://www.constantinmedia.com/2014/04/typo3-extbase-an-error-occurred-while-trying-to-call-anyaction/

Answer 3

just override the template method getErrorFlashMessage in yout controller to provide a custom error message...
/**
* A template method for displaying custom error flash messages, or to
* display no flash message at all on errors. Override this to customize
* the flash message in your action controller.
*
* #return string|boolean The flash message or FALSE if no flash message should be set
* #api
*/
protected function getErrorFlashMessage() {
return 'An error occurred while trying to call ' . get_class($this) . '->' . $this->actionMethodName . '()';
}

Answer 4

classic case of "start over from scratch and it works, and if you compare it you have the same code, though".
I updated the code in the question, maybe it helps someone.