Problems with MailChimp API in Ruby Error Code: -90

Question

I am using the following code in my MailChimp Controller to submit simple newsletter data. When It is sent I receive the following error as a "Method is not exported by this server -90" I have attached my controller code below. I am using this controller for a simple newsletter signup form. (Name, Email)

class MailchimpController < ApplicationController

  require "net/http"
  require "uri"

  def subscribe  
    if request.post?
      mailchimp = {}
      mailchimp['apikey']  =  'f72328d1de9cc76092casdfsd425e467b6641-us2'
      mailchimp['id']  =  '8037342dd1874'
      mailchimp['email_address']  =  "[email protected]"
      mailchimp['merge_vars[FNAME]']  =  "FirstName"
      mailchimp['output']  =  'json'

      uri = URI.parse("http://us2.api.mailchimp.com/1.3/?method=listSubscribe")
      response = Net::HTTP.post_form(uri, mailchimp)    
      mailchimp = ActiveSupport::JSON.decode(response.body)

      if mailchimp['error']
        render :text =>    mailchimp['error'] + "code:" + mailchimp['code'].to_s  
      elsif mailchimp == 'true'
        render :text => 'ok' 
      else
        render :text => 'error'
      end
    end
   end    

end

Answer 1

I highly recommend the Hominid gem: https://github.com/tatemae-consultancy/hominid

Answer 2

The problem is that Net::HTTP.post_form is not passing the "method" GET parameter. Not being a big ruby user, I'm not certain what the actual proper way to do that with Net::HTTP is, but this works:

require "net/http"
data="apikey=blahblahblah"
response = nil
Net::HTTP.start('us2.api.mailchimp.com', 80) {|http|
  response = http.post('/1.3/?method=lists', data)
}
p response.body

That's the lists() method (for simplicity) and you'd have to build up (and urlencode your values!) your the full POST params rather than simply providing the hash.

Did you take a look at the many gems already available for ruby?

http://apidocs.mailchimp.com/downloads/#ruby

The bigger problem, and main reason I'm replying to this, is that your API Key is not obfuscated nearly well enough. Granted I'm used to working with them, but I was able to guess it very quickly. I would suggest immediately going and disabling that key in your account and then editing the post to actually have completely bogus data rather than anything close to the correct key. The list id on the other hand, doesn't matter at all.