gistfile1.diff

diff --git a/haystack/indexes.py b/haystack/indexes.py
index 95eeb67..5f467a8 100644
--- a/haystack/indexes.py
+++ b/haystack/indexes.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-from django.db.models import signals
+from django.db.models import signals, FieldDoesNotExist
 import haystack
 from haystack.fields import *
 
@@ -58,7 +58,12 @@ class SearchIndex(object):
         for field_name, field in self.fields.items():
             if field.document is True:
                 content_fields.append(field_name)
-        
+            if field.model_attr:
+                try:
+                    model._meta.get_field(field.model_attr)
+                except FieldDoesNotExist:
+                    raise SearchFieldError("The model_attr %s is invalid for model %s" % (field.model_attr, model))
+                
         if not len(content_fields) == 1:
             raise SearchFieldError("An index must have one (and only one) SearchField with document=True.")
     
@@ -95,7 +100,7 @@ class SearchIndex(object):
             if hasattr(self, "prepare_%s" % field_name):
                 value = getattr(self, "prepare_%s" % field_name)(obj)
                 self.prepared_data[field_name] = value
-        
+    
         # Remove any fields that lack a value and are `null=True`.
         for field_name, field in self.fields.items():
             if field.null is True:
diff --git a/tests/core/fixtures/initial_data.json b/tests/core/fixtures/initial_data.json
index ab58d28..246e2c1 100644
--- a/tests/core/fixtures/initial_data.json
+++ b/tests/core/fixtures/initial_data.json
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
     "pk": 1,
     "model": "core.mockmodel",
     "fields": {
-      "user": "daniel1",
+      "author": "daniel1",
       "foo": "bar",
       "pub_date": "2009-03-17 06:00:00",
       "tag": 1
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@
     "pk": 2,
     "model": "core.mockmodel",
     "fields": {
-      "user": "daniel2",
+      "author": "daniel2",
       "foo": "bar",
       "pub_date": "2009-03-17 07:00:00",
       "tag": 1
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@
     "pk": 3,
     "model": "core.mockmodel",
     "fields": {
-      "user": "daniel3",
+      "author": "daniel3",
       "foo": "bar",
       "pub_date": "2009-03-17 08:00:00",
       "tag": 2
diff --git a/tests/core/models.py b/tests/core/models.py
index acf08be..feb0d9b 100644
--- a/tests/core/models.py
+++ b/tests/core/models.py
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ class MockTag(models.Model):
 
 
 class MockModel(models.Model):
-    user = models.CharField(max_length=255)
+    author = models.CharField(max_length=255)
     foo = models.CharField(max_length=255, blank=True)
     pub_date = models.DateTimeField(default=datetime.datetime.now)
     tag = models.ForeignKey(MockTag)
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ class MockModel(models.Model):
 
 
 class AnotherMockModel(models.Model):
-    user = models.CharField(max_length=255)
+    author = models.CharField(max_length=255)
     pub_date = models.DateTimeField(default=datetime.datetime.now)
     
     def __unicode__(self):
diff --git a/tests/core/tests/indexes.py b/tests/core/tests/indexes.py
index 8ec9396..8fdbcb2 100644
--- a/tests/core/tests/indexes.py
+++ b/tests/core/tests/indexes.py
@@ -6,32 +6,39 @@ from core.tests.mocks import MockSearchBackend
 
 
 class BadSearchIndex1(indexes.SearchIndex):
-    author = indexes.CharField(model_attr='user')
+    author = indexes.CharField(model_attr='author')
     pub_date = indexes.DateTimeField(model_attr='pub_date')
 
 
 class BadSearchIndex2(indexes.SearchIndex):
     content = indexes.CharField(document=True, use_template=True)
     content2 = indexes.CharField(document=True, use_template=True)
-    author = indexes.CharField(model_attr='user')
+    author = indexes.CharField(model_attr='author')
     pub_date = indexes.DateTimeField(model_attr='pub_date')
 
 
+class BadSearchIndex3(indexes.SearchIndex):
+    content = indexes.CharField(document=True, use_template=True)
+    author = indexes.CharField(model_attr='author')
+    pub_date = indexes.DateTimeField(model_attr='pub_date')
+    invalid = indexes.CharField(model_attr='invalid')
+
+
 class GoodMockSearchIndex(indexes.SearchIndex):
     content = indexes.CharField(document=True, use_template=True)
-    author = indexes.CharField(model_attr='user')
+    author = indexes.CharField(model_attr='author')
     pub_date = indexes.DateTimeField(model_attr='pub_date')
     extra = indexes.CharField(indexed=False, use_template=True)
 
 
 # For testing inheritance...
 class AltGoodMockSearchIndex(GoodMockSearchIndex):
-    additional = indexes.CharField(model_attr='user')
+    additional = indexes.CharField(model_attr='author')
 
 
 class GoodCustomMockSearchIndex(indexes.SearchIndex):
     content = indexes.CharField(document=True, use_template=True)
-    author = indexes.CharField(model_attr='user')
+    author = indexes.CharField(model_attr='author')
     pub_date = indexes.DateTimeField(model_attr='pub_date')
     extra = indexes.CharField(indexed=False, use_template=True)
     
@@ -49,7 +56,7 @@ class GoodCustomMockSearchIndex(indexes.SearchIndex):
 
 class GoodNullableMockSearchIndex(indexes.SearchIndex):
     content = indexes.CharField(document=True, use_template=True)
-    author = indexes.CharField(model_attr='user', null=True)
+    author = indexes.CharField(model_attr='author', null=True)
 
 
 class SearchIndexTestCase(TestCase):
@@ -94,6 +101,9 @@ class SearchIndexTestCase(TestCase):
     
     def test_too_many_contentfields_present(self):
         self.assertRaises(indexes.SearchFieldError, BadSearchIndex2, MockModel, MockSearchBackend())
+
+    def test_invalid_model_attr_present(self):
+        self.assertRaises(indexes.SearchFieldError, BadSearchIndex3, MockModel, MockSearchBackend())
     
     def test_contentfield_present(self):
         try:
@@ -127,7 +137,7 @@ class SearchIndexTestCase(TestCase):
     def test_custom_prepare(self):
         mock = MockModel()
         mock.pk = 20
-        mock.user = 'daniel%s' % mock.id
+        mock.author = 'daniel%s' % mock.id
         mock.pub_date = datetime.datetime(2009, 1, 31, 4, 19, 0)
         
         self.assertEqual(len(self.cmi.prepare(mock)), 5)
@@ -136,7 +146,7 @@ class SearchIndexTestCase(TestCase):
     def test_custom_prepare_author(self):
         mock = MockModel()
         mock.pk = 20
-        mock.user = 'daniel%s' % mock.id
+        mock.author = 'daniel%s' % mock.id
         mock.pub_date = datetime.datetime(2009, 1, 31, 4, 19, 0)
         
         self.assertEqual(len(self.cmi.prepare(mock)), 5)
@@ -156,7 +166,7 @@ class SearchIndexTestCase(TestCase):
         
         mock = MockModel()
         mock.pk = 20
-        mock.user = 'daniel%s' % mock.id
+        mock.author = 'daniel%s' % mock.id
         mock.pub_date = datetime.datetime(2009, 1, 31, 4, 19, 0)
         
         self.mi.update_object(mock)
@@ -233,19 +243,19 @@ class BasicModelSearchIndex(indexes.ModelSearchIndex):
 
 class FieldsModelSearchIndex(indexes.ModelSearchIndex):
     class Meta:
-        fields = ['user', 'pub_date']
+        fields = ['author', 'pub_date']
 
 
 class ExcludesModelSearchIndex(indexes.ModelSearchIndex):
     class Meta:
-        excludes = ['user', 'foo']
+        excludes = ['author', 'foo']
 
 
 class FieldsWithOverrideModelSearchIndex(indexes.ModelSearchIndex):
     foo = indexes.IntegerField(model_attr='foo')
     
     class Meta:
-        fields = ['user', 'foo']
+        fields = ['author', 'foo']
 
 
 class ModelSearchIndexTestCase(TestCase):
@@ -262,9 +272,9 @@ class ModelSearchIndexTestCase(TestCase):
         self.assert_('foo' in self.bmsi.fields)
         self.assert_(isinstance(self.bmsi.fields['foo'], indexes.CharField))
         self.assertEqual(self.bmsi.fields['foo'].null, False)
-        self.assert_('user' in self.bmsi.fields)
-        self.assert_(isinstance(self.bmsi.fields['user'], indexes.CharField))
-        self.assertEqual(self.bmsi.fields['user'].null, False)
+        self.assert_('author' in self.bmsi.fields)
+        self.assert_(isinstance(self.bmsi.fields['author'], indexes.CharField))
+        self.assertEqual(self.bmsi.fields['author'].null, False)
         self.assert_('pub_date' in self.bmsi.fields)
         self.assert_(isinstance(self.bmsi.fields['pub_date'], indexes.DateTimeField))
         self.assert_(isinstance(self.bmsi.fields['pub_date'].default, datetime.datetime))
@@ -275,8 +285,8 @@ class ModelSearchIndexTestCase(TestCase):
     
     def test_fields(self):
         self.assertEqual(len(self.fmsi.fields), 3)
-        self.assert_('user' in self.fmsi.fields)
-        self.assert_(isinstance(self.fmsi.fields['user'], indexes.CharField))
+        self.assert_('author' in self.fmsi.fields)
+        self.assert_(isinstance(self.fmsi.fields['author'], indexes.CharField))
         self.assert_('pub_date' in self.fmsi.fields)
         self.assert_(isinstance(self.fmsi.fields['pub_date'], indexes.DateTimeField))
         self.assert_('text' in self.fmsi.fields)
@@ -291,8 +301,8 @@ class ModelSearchIndexTestCase(TestCase):
     
     def test_fields_with_override(self):
         self.assertEqual(len(self.fwomsi.fields), 3)
-        self.assert_('user' in self.fwomsi.fields)
-        self.assert_(isinstance(self.fwomsi.fields['user'], indexes.CharField))
+        self.assert_('author' in self.fwomsi.fields)
+        self.assert_(isinstance(self.fwomsi.fields['author'], indexes.CharField))
         self.assert_('foo' in self.fwomsi.fields)
         self.assert_(isinstance(self.fwomsi.fields['foo'], indexes.IntegerField))
         self.assert_('text' in self.fwomsi.fields)
diff --git a/tests/core/tests/models.py b/tests/core/tests/models.py
index a0857e7..fd09043 100644
--- a/tests/core/tests/models.py
+++ b/tests/core/tests/models.py
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ class SearchResultTestCase(TestCase):
         from haystack import indexes
         
         class TestSearchIndex(indexes.SearchIndex):
-            stored = indexes.CharField(model_attr='stored', document=True)
+            stored = indexes.CharField(model_attr='author', document=True)
         
         # Register the index & try again.
         haystack.site.register(MockModel, TestSearchIndex)