Checking for errrors after update_attribute

[k007]

I am using ruby on rails. Inside a controller, I am using the
update_attributes method to update
a database row. I need to check if it went through or if not, I want to
get the exact error that it encountered. In the view, I am able to use
error_messages_forrecord) but I need something I can use in the
controller code.

Thanks