sessions_controller.rb

class SessionsController < ApplicationController
  layout 'basic'

  def new
  end

  def create
    puts params[:email]
    puts params[:password]

  	user = User.find_by_email(params[:email])
    puts User.count # TEMPORARY debug call, outputs 0 during integration test
  	if user and user.authenticate(params[:password])
  		session[:user_id] = user.id
  		redirect_to root_path
  	else
  		@email = params[:email]
  		@error = "Either your email or password was invalid"
  		render action: :new
  	end
  end

  def destroy
  	session[:user_id] = nil
  	redirect_to root_path
  end
end

sessions_test.rb

require 'test_helper'

class SessionsTest < ActionDispatch::IntegrationTest
  def setup
		@user = User.create(email: "nfury@shield.gov", name: "Nick Fury", password: "assemble", password_confirmation: "assemble")
	end

	test "should be able to log in from home page" do
		visit root_path
		within ".main-header .buttons" do
			el = find('a[pl-login-popup-trigger]')
			el.click
		end

		assert_equal root_path, current_path # Make sure it shows the popup and doesn't go to the login page
		# @IRC guys, I'm using Poltergeist, so JavaScript works. I've already verified this

		within ".login-form" do
			fill_in "email", with: "nfury@shield.gov"
      fill_in "password", with: "assemble"
      click_on "Log In"
		end

		puts User.count #Outputs 1

		assert_equal root_path, current_path # fails here, because it redirected to the login page with the error

		within ".main-header .buttons" do
			assert_equal "Nick Fury", find('a').text
		end
	end
end

user.rb

class User < ActiveRecord::Base
  attr_accessible :email, :name, :password, :password_confirmation
  has_secure_password

  validates_presence_of :email, :name
  validates_uniqueness_of :email
  validates_email_format_of :email
  validates_presence_of :password, on: :create
end