using nil or [] on rails 2.3.8 -

i've strange situation rails application (2.3.8)

i want assign no nil value variable in controller, wrote code:

@myvalue = session[:value] or [] 

in view wrote:

<%= @myvalue.size %> 

when display page, have nil error.

i've tried nil or [] in irb , []. question if know why working different in rails?

p.s.: gem i'm using cell version 3.3.3.

thanks!

the idiom session[:value] || [], using ||, not or. can try session[:value].to_a. works because nil.to_a becomes [].