Just upgraded to Django 1.4 and getting error with messages - django

Question

I just upgraded to Django 1.4 and it has broken a couple things including messaging.
Here's the error I get when trying to change a avatar:
'User' object has no attribute 'message_set'
Exception Location: /Users/nb/Desktop/myenv2/lib/python2.7/site-packages/django/utils/functional.py in inner, line 185
Traceback:
File "/Users/nb/Desktop/myenv2/lib/python2.7/site-packages/django/core/handlers/base.py" in get_response
111. response = callback(request, *callback_args, **callback_kwargs)
File "/Users/nb/Desktop/myenv2/lib/python2.7/site-packages/django/contrib/auth/decorators.py" in _wrapped_view
20. return view_func(request, *args, **kwargs)
File "/Users/nb/Desktop/spicestore/apps/avatar/views.py" in change
76. request.user.message_set.create(
File "/Users/nb/Desktop/myenv2/lib/python2.7/site-packages/django/utils/functional.py" in inner
185. return func(self._wrapped, *args)
Exception Type: AttributeError at /avatar/change/
Exception Value: 'User' object has no attribute 'message_set'
Also, messaging no longer works on the site. What are the changes in Django 1.4 that could be causing this and has anyone overcome a similar issue?

Answer 1

Django introduced a messages app in 1.2 (release notes), and deprecated the old user messages API.
In Django 1.4, the old message_set API has been removed completely, so you'll have to update your code. If you follow the messages docs, you should find it pretty straight forward.

Answer 2

Add
from django.contrib import messages
And then
def foo(request):
messages.add_message(request, messages.INFO, "Your message.")

Answer 3

What is in your INSTALLED_APPS in your settings.py?
Do you have 'django.contrib.messages', included there?
Something like:
INSTALLED_APPS = (
'django.contrib.auth',
'django.contrib.contenttypes',
'django.contrib.sessions',
'django.contrib.sites',
'django.contrib.messages',
'django.contrib.staticfiles',
'django.contrib.humanize',
...

Answer 4

From Django 1.4 docs
To enable message functionality, in settings.py do the following:
Edit the MIDDLEWARE_CLASSES setting and make sure it contains
'django.contrib.messages.middleware.MessageMiddleware'
If you are using a storage backend that relies on sessions (the default), django.contrib.sessions.middleware.SessionMiddleware must be enabled and appear before MessageMiddleware in your MIDDLEWARE_CLASSES.
Edit the TEMPLATE_CONTEXT_PROCESSORS setting and make sure it contains
'django.contrib.messages.context_processors.messages'
Add 'django.contrib.messages' to your INSTALLED_APPS setting
As far as django-avatar is concerned. Use the master files found here: https://github.com/chadpaulson/django-avatar/tree/master/avatar