Added an alert for empty string search.

Gemfile.lock

@@ -458,6 +458,3 @@ DEPENDENCIES
   unicorn
   webrat
   will_paginate (~> 3.0)
-
-BUNDLED WITH
-   1.10.3

app/controllers/places_controller.rb

@@ -21,9 +21,17 @@ def show
   end
 
   def search
-    respond_to do |format|
-      format.html do
-        redirect_to place_path(params[:new_place])
+    if params[:new_place].empty?
+      respond_to do |format|
+        format.html do
+          redirect_to places_path, alert: 'Please enter a valid location'
+        end
+      end
+    else
+      respond_to do |format|
+        format.html do
+          redirect_to place_path(params[:new_place])
+        end
       end
     end
   end

app/views/places/_search_form.html.haml

@@ -2,5 +2,5 @@
   .form-group
     = label_tag :new_place, "Change location:", :class => 'sr-only'
     = text_field_tag :new_place, '', :class => 'form-control', :placeholder => "New location..."
-  = submit_tag "Search", :class => 'btn btn-primary'
+  = submit_tag "Search", :class => 'btn btn-primary', :id => "search_button"
 %br/

spec/features/places/searching_a_place_spec.rb

@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+require "rails_helper"
+
+RSpec.feature "User searches", :type => :feature do
+
+	scenario "with a valid place" do
+		visit "/places"
+		search_with("Philippines")
+		assert true
+	end
+
+	scenario "with a blank search string" do
+		visit "/places"
+		search_with("")
+		assert true
+	end
+
+	def search_with(search_string)
+		fill_in "new_place", :with => search_string
+		click_button "search_button"
+	end
+
+end