Rails 4 - local assets precompile error

Question

In development (rails 4.2 app), we are doing local assets precompile with following command:

$ RAILS_ENV=production bundle exec rake assets:clean assets:precompile RAILS_RELATIVE_URL_ROOT=/tj --trace
** Invoke assets:clean (first_time)
** Invoke assets:environment (first_time)
** Execute assets:environment
** Invoke environment (first_time)
** Execute environment
** Execute assets:clean
** Invoke assets:precompile (first_time)
** Invoke assets:environment
** Execute assets:precompile
rake aborted!
Sass::SyntaxError: Invalid CSS after "...ontent}*/ url(C": expected comma, was ":/Program Files..."
(sass):66
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sass-3.4.14/lib/sass/scss/parser.rb:1162:in `expected'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sass-3.4.14/lib/sass/script/lexer.rb:221:in `expected!'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sass-3.4.14/lib/sass/script/parser.rb:463:in `block in arglist'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sass-3.4.14/lib/sass/script/parser.rb:460:in `loop'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sass-3.4.14/lib/sass/script/parser.rb:460:in `arglist'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sass-3.4.14/lib/sass/script/parser.rb:445:in `fn_arglist'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sass-3.4.14/lib/sass/script/parser.rb:407:in `funcall'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sass-3.4.14/lib/sass/script/parser.rb:387:in `ident'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sass-3.4.14/lib/sass/script/parser.rb:246:in `unary_not'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sass-3.4.14/lib/sass/script/parser.rb:246:in `unary_div'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sass-3.4.14/lib/sass/script/parser.rb:246:in `unary_minus'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sass-3.4.14/lib/sass/script/parser.rb:246:in `unary_plus'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sass-3.4.14/lib/sass/script/parser.rb:227:in `times_div_or_mod'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sass-3.4.14/lib/sass/script/parser.rb:227:in `plus_or_minus'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sass-3.4.14/lib/sass/script/parser.rb:227:in `relational'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sass-3.4.14/lib/sass/script/parser.rb:227:in `eq_or_neq'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sass-3.4.14/lib/sass/script/parser.rb:227:in `and_expr'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sass-3.4.14/lib/sass/script/parser.rb:227:in `or_expr'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sass-3.4.14/lib/sass/script/parser.rb:364:in `space'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sass-3.4.14/lib/sass/script/parser.rb:345:in `interpolation'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sass-3.4.14/lib/sass/script/parser.rb:293:in `expr'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sass-3.4.14/lib/sass/script/parser.rb:571:in `assert_expr'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sass-3.4.14/lib/sass/script/parser.rb:62:in `parse'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sass-3.4.14/lib/sass/scss/parser.rb:1024:in `sass_script'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sass-3.4.14/lib/sass/scss/parser.rb:877:in `value!'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sass-3.4.14/lib/sass/scss/parser.rb:750:in `block in try_declaration'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sass-3.4.14/lib/sass/scss/parser.rb:1138:in `call'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sass-3.4.14/lib/sass/scss/parser.rb:1138:in `rethrow'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sass-3.4.14/lib/sass/scss/parser.rb:763:in `try_declaration'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sass-3.4.14/lib/sass/scss/parser.rb:693:in `declaration_or_ruleset'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sass-3.4.14/lib/sass/scss/parser.rb:658:in `block_child'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sass-3.4.14/lib/sass/scss/parser.rb:650:in `block_contents'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sass-3.4.14/lib/sass/scss/parser.rb:639:in `block'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sass-3.4.14/lib/sass/scss/parser.rb:632:in `ruleset'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sass-3.4.14/lib/sass/scss/parser.rb:657:in `block_child'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sass-3.4.14/lib/sass/scss/parser.rb:650:in `block_contents'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sass-3.4.14/lib/sass/scss/parser.rb:117:in `stylesheet'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sass-3.4.14/lib/sass/scss/parser.rb:42:in `parse'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sass-3.4.14/lib/sass/engine.rb:393:in `_to_tree'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sass-3.4.14/lib/sass/engine.rb:268:in `render'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sprockets-3.2.0/lib/sprockets/sass_compressor.rb:48:in `call'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sprockets-3.2.0/lib/sprockets/sass_compressor.rb:28:in `call'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sprockets-3.2.0/lib/sprockets/processor_utils.rb:75:in `call_processor'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sprockets-3.2.0/lib/sprockets/processor_utils.rb:57:in `block in call_processors'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sprockets-3.2.0/lib/sprockets/processor_utils.rb:56:in `reverse_each'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sprockets-3.2.0/lib/sprockets/processor_utils.rb:56:in `call_processors'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sprockets-3.2.0/lib/sprockets/loader.rb:86:in `load_asset_by_uri'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sprockets-3.2.0/lib/sprockets/loader.rb:45:in `block in load'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sprockets-3.2.0/lib/sprockets/loader.rb:155:in `fetch_asset_from_dependency_cache'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sprockets-3.2.0/lib/sprockets/loader.rb:38:in `load'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sprockets-3.2.0/lib/sprockets/cached_environment.rb:20:in `block in initialize'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sprockets-3.2.0/lib/sprockets/cached_environment.rb:47:in `yield'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sprockets-3.2.0/lib/sprockets/cached_environment.rb:47:in `load'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sprockets-3.2.0/lib/sprockets/base.rb:63:in `find_asset'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sprockets-3.2.0/lib/sprockets/base.rb:70:in `find_all_linked_assets'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sprockets-3.2.0/lib/sprockets/manifest.rb:138:in `block in find'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sprockets-3.2.0/lib/sprockets/legacy.rb:114:in `block (2 levels) in logical_paths'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sprockets-3.2.0/lib/sprockets/path_utils.rb:223:in `block in stat_tree'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sprockets-3.2.0/lib/sprockets/path_utils.rb:207:in `block in stat_directory'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sprockets-3.2.0/lib/sprockets/path_utils.rb:204:in `each'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sprockets-3.2.0/lib/sprockets/path_utils.rb:204:in `stat_directory'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sprockets-3.2.0/lib/sprockets/path_utils.rb:222:in `stat_tree'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sprockets-3.2.0/lib/sprockets/path_utils.rb:226:in `block in stat_tree'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sprockets-3.2.0/lib/sprockets/path_utils.rb:207:in `block in stat_directory'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sprockets-3.2.0/lib/sprockets/path_utils.rb:204:in `each'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sprockets-3.2.0/lib/sprockets/path_utils.rb:204:in `stat_directory'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sprockets-3.2.0/lib/sprockets/path_utils.rb:222:in `stat_tree'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sprockets-3.2.0/lib/sprockets/legacy.rb:105:in `each'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sprockets-3.2.0/lib/sprockets/legacy.rb:105:in `block in logical_paths'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sprockets-3.2.0/lib/sprockets/legacy.rb:104:in `each'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sprockets-3.2.0/lib/sprockets/legacy.rb:104:in `logical_paths'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sprockets-3.2.0/lib/sprockets/manifest.rb:136:in `find'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sprockets-3.2.0/lib/sprockets/manifest.rb:162:in `compile'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sprockets-rails-2.3.1/lib/sprockets/rails/task.rb:70:in `block (3 levels) in define'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sprockets-3.2.0/lib/rake/sprocketstask.rb:147:in `with_logger'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/sprockets-rails-2.3.1/lib/sprockets/rails/task.rb:69:in `block (2 levels) in define'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/rake-10.4.2/lib/rake/task.rb:240:in `call'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/rake-10.4.2/lib/rake/task.rb:240:in `block in execute'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/rake-10.4.2/lib/rake/task.rb:235:in `each'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/rake-10.4.2/lib/rake/task.rb:235:in `execute'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/rake-10.4.2/lib/rake/task.rb:179:in `block in invoke_with_call_chain'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/2.0.0/monitor.rb:211:in `mon_synchronize'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/rake-10.4.2/lib/rake/task.rb:172:in `invoke_with_call_chain'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/rake-10.4.2/lib/rake/task.rb:165:in `invoke'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/rake-10.4.2/lib/rake/application.rb:150:in `invoke_task'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/rake-10.4.2/lib/rake/application.rb:106:in `block (2 levels) in top_level'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/rake-10.4.2/lib/rake/application.rb:106:in `each'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/rake-10.4.2/lib/rake/application.rb:106:in `block in top_level'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/rake-10.4.2/lib/rake/application.rb:115:in `run_with_threads'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/rake-10.4.2/lib/rake/application.rb:100:in `top_level'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/rake-10.4.2/lib/rake/application.rb:78:in `block in run'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/rake-10.4.2/lib/rake/application.rb:176:in `standard_exception_handling'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/rake-10.4.2/lib/rake/application.rb:75:in `run'
c:/Ruby200/lib/ruby/gems/2.0.0/gems/rake-10.4.2/bin/rake:33:in `<top (required)>'
c:/Ruby200/bin/rake:23:in `load'
c:/Ruby200/bin/rake:23:in `<main>'
Tasks: TOP => assets:precompile

The error is caused in parser.rb in sass. We don't quite understand what the error means. We tried to deploy on production server and the above assets precompile command ran successfully without any error. Can someone help us to understand the error and/or fix?

Answer 1

Make sure your css files syntax is correct and properly indented. Or you can uninstall your sass gem from gem file... but this is not a good solution.. try to correct your css syntax..

Answer 2

Check Line 66 of your SASS file.

Sass::SyntaxError: Invalid CSS after "...ontent}*/ url(C": expected comma, was      
":/Program Files..."(sass):66

Looks like an invalid CSS error. I'm guessing you're trying to link to an external file? You'll have to check the paths.

Probably can't use 'C:/Program Files...', instead change it to a relative path in relation to your files i.e

url(../../external_directory/image.png)