documentation project patches, closes #7342, #7319, #7316, #7190 [jeremymcanally]

git-svn-id: http://svn-commit.rubyonrails.org/rails/trunk@6470 5ecf4fe2-1ee6-0310-87b1-e25e094e27de

11 files changed, 69 insertions, 43 deletions

diff --git a/actionpack/CHANGELOG b/actionpack/CHANGELOG
index c9a5aea0b2..b6ee5b6e87 100644
--- a/actionpack/CHANGELOG
+++ b/actionpack/CHANGELOG
@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
 *SVN*
 
+* Cleaned up, corrected, and mildly expanded ActionPack documentation.  Closes #7190 [jeremymcanally]
+
+* Small collection of ActionController documentation cleanups.  Closes #7319 [jeremymcanally]
+
 * Make sure the route expiry hash is constructed by comparing the to_param-ized values of each hash. [Jamis Buck]
 
 * Allow configuration of the default action cache path for #caches_action calls.  [Rick Olson]
diff --git a/actionpack/lib/action_controller/assertions/dom_assertions.rb b/actionpack/lib/action_controller/assertions/dom_assertions.rb
index d1eea59ea0..355080fe54 100644
--- a/actionpack/lib/action_controller/assertions/dom_assertions.rb
+++ b/actionpack/lib/action_controller/assertions/dom_assertions.rb
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 module ActionController
   module Assertions
     module DomAssertions
-      # test 2 html strings to be equivalent, i.e. identical up to reordering of attributes
+      # Test two HTML strings for equivalency (e.g., identical up to reordering of attributes)
       def assert_dom_equal(expected, actual, message="")
         clean_backtrace do
           expected_dom = HTML::Document.new(expected).root
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ module ActionController
         end
       end
       
-      # negated form of +assert_dom_equivalent+
+      # The negated form of +assert_dom_equivalent+.
       def assert_dom_not_equal(expected, actual, message="")
         clean_backtrace do
           expected_dom = HTML::Document.new(expected).root
diff --git a/actionpack/lib/action_controller/assertions/model_assertions.rb b/actionpack/lib/action_controller/assertions/model_assertions.rb
index a9bcd7db9a..5fc5c81cb7 100644
--- a/actionpack/lib/action_controller/assertions/model_assertions.rb
+++ b/actionpack/lib/action_controller/assertions/model_assertions.rb
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 module ActionController
   module Assertions
     module ModelAssertions
-      # ensures that the passed record is valid by active record standards. returns the error messages if not
+      # Ensures that the passed record is valid by ActiveRecord standards and returns any error messages if it is not.
       def assert_valid(record)
         clean_backtrace do
           assert record.valid?, record.errors.full_messages.join("\n")
diff --git a/actionpack/lib/action_controller/assertions/response_assertions.rb b/actionpack/lib/action_controller/assertions/response_assertions.rb
index cf30569f36..de7efd0ac9 100644
--- a/actionpack/lib/action_controller/assertions/response_assertions.rb
+++ b/actionpack/lib/action_controller/assertions/response_assertions.rb
@@ -119,6 +119,7 @@ module ActionController
       end
 
       private
+        # Recognizes the route for a given path.
         def recognized_request_for(path, request_method = nil)
           path = "/#{path}" unless path.first == '/'
 
@@ -131,6 +132,7 @@ module ActionController
           request
         end
 
+        # Proxy to to_param if the object will respond to it.
         def parameterize(value)
           value.respond_to?(:to_param) ? value.to_param : value
         end
diff --git a/actionpack/lib/action_controller/assertions/routing_assertions.rb b/actionpack/lib/action_controller/assertions/routing_assertions.rb
index 11a649c49a..6cd4d48b9e 100644
--- a/actionpack/lib/action_controller/assertions/routing_assertions.rb
+++ b/actionpack/lib/action_controller/assertions/routing_assertions.rb
@@ -82,6 +82,7 @@ module ActionController
       end
 
       private
+        # Recognizes the route for a given path.
         def recognized_request_for(path, request_method = nil)
           path = "/#{path}" unless path.first == '/'
 
diff --git a/actionpack/lib/action_controller/mime_types.rb b/actionpack/lib/action_controller/mime_types.rb
index 66a3133c4f..8273a2403b 100644
--- a/actionpack/lib/action_controller/mime_types.rb
+++ b/actionpack/lib/action_controller/mime_types.rb
@@ -1,3 +1,6 @@
+# Build list of Mime types for HTTP responses
+# http://www.iana.org/assignments/media-types/
+
 Mime::Type.register "*/*", :all
 Mime::Type.register "text/plain", :text, [], %w(txt)
 Mime::Type.register "text/html", :html, %w( application/xhtml+xml ), %w( xhtml )
diff --git a/actionpack/lib/action_controller/url_rewriter.rb b/actionpack/lib/action_controller/url_rewriter.rb
index 66b77e405f..88c7afff41 100644
--- a/actionpack/lib/action_controller/url_rewriter.rb
+++ b/actionpack/lib/action_controller/url_rewriter.rb
@@ -75,6 +75,7 @@ module ActionController
     alias_method :to_s, :to_str
 
     private
+      # Given a path and options, returns a rewritten URL string
       def rewrite_url(options)
         rewritten_url = ""
 
@@ -94,6 +95,7 @@ module ActionController
         rewritten_url
       end
 
+      # Given a Hash of options, generates a route
       def rewrite_path(options)
         options = options.symbolize_keys
         options.update(options[:params].symbolize_keys) if options[:params]
diff --git a/actionpack/lib/action_view/base.rb b/actionpack/lib/action_view/base.rb
index 9956e0fe28..5d52eeaef9 100644
--- a/actionpack/lib/action_view/base.rb
+++ b/actionpack/lib/action_view/base.rb
@@ -148,7 +148,7 @@ module ActionView #:nodoc:
   #
   # This refreshes the sidebar, removes a person element and highlights the user list.
   # 
-  # See the ActionView::Helpers::PrototypeHelper::JavaScriptGenerator documentation for more details.
+  # See the ActionView::Helpers::PrototypeHelper::GeneratorMethods documentation for more details.
   class Base
     include ERB::Util
 
@@ -160,7 +160,7 @@ module ActionView #:nodoc:
     attr_internal :cookies, :flash, :headers, :params, :request, :response, :session
 
     # Specify trim mode for the ERB compiler. Defaults to '-'.
-    # See ERB documentation for suitable values.
+    # See ERb documentation for suitable values.
     @@erb_trim_mode = '-'
     cattr_accessor :erb_trim_mode
 
@@ -194,17 +194,17 @@ module ActionView #:nodoc:
     end
     include CompiledTemplates
 
-    # maps inline templates to their method names 
+    # Maps inline templates to their method names 
     @@method_names = {}
-    # map method names to their compile time
+    # Map method names to their compile time
     @@compile_time = {}
-    # map method names to the names passed in local assigns so far
+    # Map method names to the names passed in local assigns so far
     @@template_args = {}
-    # count the number of inline templates
+    # Count the number of inline templates
     @@inline_template_count = 0
-    # maps template paths without extension to their file extension returned by pick_template_extension.
-    # if for a given path, path.ext1 and path.ext2 exist on the file system, the order of extensions
-    # used by pick_template_extension determines whether ext1 or ext2 will be stored
+    # Maps template paths without extension to their file extension returned by pick_template_extension.
+    # If for a given path, path.ext1 and path.ext2 exist on the file system, the order of extensions
+    # used by pick_template_extension determines whether ext1 or ext2 will be stored.
     @@cached_template_extension = {}
 
     class ObjectWrapper < Struct.new(:value) #:nodoc:
@@ -307,7 +307,6 @@ module ActionView #:nodoc:
     # Render the provided template with the given local assigns. If the template has not been rendered with the provided
     # local assigns yet, or if the template has been updated on disk, then the template will be compiled to a method.
     #
-
     # Either, but not both, of template and file_path may be nil. If file_path is given, the template
     # will only be read if it has to be compiled.
     #
@@ -384,6 +383,7 @@ module ActionView #:nodoc:
         "#{base_path}/#{file_name}"
       end
 
+      # Asserts the existence of a template.
       def template_exists?(template_path, extension)
         file_path = full_template_path(template_path, extension)
         @@method_names.has_key?(file_path) || FileTest.exists?(file_path)
@@ -402,7 +402,8 @@ module ActionView #:nodoc:
       def find_base_path_for(template_file_name)
         @view_paths.find { |p| File.file?(File.join(p, template_file_name)) }
       end
-      
+
+      # Determines the template's file extension, such as rhtml, rxml, or rjs.
       def find_template_extension_for(template_path)
         if match = delegate_template_exists?(template_path)
           match.first.to_sym
@@ -419,6 +420,7 @@ module ActionView #:nodoc:
         File.read(template_path)
       end
 
+      # Evaluate the local assigns and pushes them to the view.
       def evaluate_assigns
         unless @assigns_added
           assign_variables_from_controller
@@ -430,6 +432,7 @@ module ActionView #:nodoc:
         handler.new(self).render(template, local_assigns)
       end
 
+      # Assigns instance variables from the controller to the view.
       def assign_variables_from_controller
         @assigns.each { |key, value| instance_variable_set("@#{key}", value) }
       end
@@ -441,10 +444,10 @@ module ActionView #:nodoc:
           ((args = @@template_args[render_symbol]) && local_assigns.all? { |k,_| args.has_key?(k) })
       end
 
-      # Check whether compilation is necessary.
-      # Compile if the inline template or file has not been compiled yet.
-      # Or if local_assigns has a new key, which isn't supported by the compiled code yet.
-      # Or if the file has changed on disk and checking file mods hasn't been disabled.
+      # Method to check whether template compilation is necessary.
+      # The template will be compiled if the inline template or file has not been compiled yet,
+      # if local_assigns has a new key, which isn't supported by the compiled code yet,
+      # or if the file has changed on disk and checking file mods hasn't been disabled.
       def compile_template?(template, file_name, local_assigns)
         method_key    = file_name || template
         render_symbol = @@method_names[method_key]
@@ -458,14 +461,14 @@ module ActionView #:nodoc:
         end
       end
 
-      # handles checking if template changed since last compile, isolated so that templates
-      # not stored on the file system can hook and extend appropriately
+      # Method to handle checking a whether a template has changed since last compile; isolated so that templates
+      # not stored on the file system can hook and extend appropriately.
       def template_changed_since?(file_name, compile_time)
         compile_time < File.mtime(file_name) ||
           (File.symlink?(file_name) && (compile_time < File.lstat(file_name).mtime))
       end
 
-      # Create source code for given template
+      # Method to create the source code for a given template.
       def create_template_source(extension, template, render_symbol, locals)
         if template_requires_setup?(extension)
           body = case extension.to_sym
@@ -493,11 +496,11 @@ module ActionView #:nodoc:
         "def #{render_symbol}(local_assigns)\n#{locals_code}#{body}\nend"
       end
 
-      def template_requires_setup?(extension)
+      def template_requires_setup?(extension) #:nodoc:
         templates_requiring_setup.include? extension.to_s
       end
 
-      def templates_requiring_setup
+      def templates_requiring_setup #:nodoc:
         %w(builder rxml rjs)
       end
 
@@ -521,6 +524,7 @@ module ActionView #:nodoc:
         end
       end
 
+      # Compile and evaluate the template's code
       def compile_template(extension, template, file_name, local_assigns)
         render_symbol = assign_method_name(extension, template, file_name)
         render_source = create_template_source(extension, template, render_symbol, local_assigns.keys)
diff --git a/actionpack/lib/action_view/compiled_templates.rb b/actionpack/lib/action_view/compiled_templates.rb
index deb730f4da..73cce12e0d 100644
--- a/actionpack/lib/action_view/compiled_templates.rb
+++ b/actionpack/lib/action_view/compiled_templates.rb
@@ -3,14 +3,14 @@ module ActionView
 
   # CompiledTemplates modules hold methods that have been compiled.
   # Templates are compiled into these methods so that they do not need to be
-  # re-read and re-parsed each request.
+  # read and parsed for each request.
   #
   # Each template may be compiled into one or more methods. Each method accepts a given
   # set of parameters which is used to implement local assigns passing.
   #
   # To use a compiled template module, create a new instance and include it into the class
   # in which you want the template to be rendered.
-  class CompiledTemplates < Module #:nodoc:
+  class CompiledTemplates < Module
     attr_reader :method_names
 
     def initialize
diff --git a/actionpack/lib/action_view/helpers/active_record_helper.rb b/actionpack/lib/action_view/helpers/active_record_helper.rb
index dcaf54be46..97ddc41c7e 100644
--- a/actionpack/lib/action_view/helpers/active_record_helper.rb
+++ b/actionpack/lib/action_view/helpers/active_record_helper.rb
@@ -13,17 +13,18 @@ module ActionView
     # is a great of making the record quickly available for editing, but likely to prove lackluster for a complicated real-world form.
     # In that case, it's better to use the input method and the specialized form methods in link:classes/ActionView/Helpers/FormHelper.html
     module ActiveRecordHelper
-      # Returns a default input tag for the type of object returned by the method. Example
-      # (title is a VARCHAR column and holds "Hello World"):
+      # Returns a default input tag for the type of object returned by the method. For example, let's say you have a model
+      # that has an attribute +title+ of type VARCHAR column, and this instance holds "Hello World":
       #   input("post", "title") =>
       #     <input id="post_title" name="post[title]" size="30" type="text" value="Hello World" />
       def input(record_name, method, options = {})
         InstanceTag.new(record_name, method, self).to_tag(options)
       end
 
-      # Returns an entire form with input tags and everything for a specified Active Record object. Example
-      # (post is a new record that has a title using VARCHAR and a body using TEXT):
-      #   form("post") =>
+      # Returns an entire form with all needed input tags for a specified Active Record object. For example, let's say you 
+      # have a table model <tt>Post</tt> with attributes named <tt>title</tt> of type <tt>VARCHAR</tt> and <tt>body</tt> of type <tt>TEXT</tt>:
+      #   form("post") 
+      # That line would yield a form like the following:
       #     <form action='/post/create' method='post'>
       #       <p>
       #         <label for="post_title">Title</label><br />
@@ -32,14 +33,13 @@ module ActionView
       #       <p>
       #         <label for="post_body">Body</label><br />
       #         <textarea cols="40" id="post_body" name="post[body]" rows="20">
-      #           Back to the hill and over it again!
       #         </textarea>
       #       </p>
       #       <input type='submit' value='Create' />
       #     </form>
       #
       # It's possible to specialize the form builder by using a different action name and by supplying another
-      # block renderer. Example (entry is a new record that has a message attribute using VARCHAR):
+      # block renderer. For example, let's say you have a model <tt>Entry</tt> with an attribute <tt>message</tt> of type <tt>VARCHAR</tt>:
       #
       #   form("entry", :action => "sign", :input_block =>
       #        Proc.new { |record, column| "#{column.human_name}: #{input(record, column.name)}<br />" }) =>
@@ -74,16 +74,16 @@ module ActionView
         content_tag('form', contents, :action => action, :method => 'post', :enctype => options[:multipart] ? 'multipart/form-data': nil)
       end
 
-      # Returns a string containing the error message attached to the +method+ on the +object+, if one exists.
-      # This error message is wrapped in a DIV tag, which can be specialized to include both a +prepend_text+ and +append_text+
-      # to properly introduce the error and a +css_class+ to style it accordingly. Examples (post has an error message
-      # "can't be empty" on the title attribute):
+      # Returns a string containing the error message attached to the +method+ on the +object+ if one exists.
+      # This error message is wrapped in a <tt>DIV</tt> tag, which can be extended to include a +prepend_text+ and/or +append_text+
+      # (to properly explain the error), and a +css_class+ to style it accordingly. As an example, let's say you have a model
+      # +post+ that has an error message on the +title+ attribute:
       #
       #   <%= error_message_on "post", "title" %> =>
       #     <div class="formError">can't be empty</div>
       #
-      #   <%= error_message_on "post", "title", "Title simply ", " (or it won't work)", "inputError" %> =>
-      #     <div class="inputError">Title simply can't be empty (or it won't work)</div>
+      #   <%= error_message_on "post", "title", "Title simply ", " (or it won't work).", "inputError" %> =>
+      #     <div class="inputError">Title simply can't be empty (or it won't work).</div>
       def error_message_on(object, method, prepend_text = "", append_text = "", css_class = "formError")
         if (obj = instance_variable_get("@#{object}")) && (errors = obj.errors.on(method))
           content_tag("div", "#{prepend_text}#{errors.is_a?(Array) ? errors.first : errors}#{append_text}", :class => css_class)
@@ -92,11 +92,11 @@ module ActionView
         end
       end
 
-      # Returns a string with a div containing all of the error messages for the objects located as instance variables by the names
+      # Returns a string with a <tt>DIV</tt> containing all of the error messages for the objects located as instance variables by the names
       # given.  If more than one object is specified, the errors for the objects are displayed in the order that the object names are
       # provided.
       #
-      # This div can be tailored by the following options:
+      # This <tt>DIV</tt> can be tailored by the following options:
       #
       # * <tt>header_tag</tt> - Used for the header of the error div (default: h2)
       # * <tt>id</tt> - The id of the error div (default: errorExplanation)
@@ -105,12 +105,12 @@ module ActionView
       # any text that you prefer. If <tt>object_name</tt> is not set, the name of
       # the first object will be used.
       #
-      # Specifying one object:
+      # To specify the display for one object, you simply provide its name as a parameter.  For example, for the +User+ model:
       # 
       #   error_messages_for 'user'
       #
-      # Specifying more than one object (and using the name 'user' in the
-      # header as the <tt>object_name</tt> instead of 'user_common'):
+      # To specify more than one object, you simply list them; optionally, you can add an extra +object_name+ parameter, which
+      # be the name in the header.
       #
       #   error_messages_for 'user_common', 'user', :object_name => 'user'
       #
diff --git a/actionpack/lib/action_view/helpers/debug_helper.rb b/actionpack/lib/action_view/helpers/debug_helper.rb
index 9e92813a18..ef089c1bad 100644
--- a/actionpack/lib/action_view/helpers/debug_helper.rb
+++ b/actionpack/lib/action_view/helpers/debug_helper.rb
@@ -3,6 +3,16 @@ module ActionView
     # Provides a set of methods for making it easier to locate problems.
     module DebugHelper
       # Returns a <pre>-tag set with the +object+ dumped by YAML. Very readable way to inspect an object.
+      #  my_hash = {'first' => 1, 'second' => 'two', 'third' => [1,2,3]}
+      #  debug(my_hash)
+      #  => <pre class='debug_dump'>--- 
+      #  first: 1
+      #  second: two
+      #  third: 
+      #  - 1
+      #  - 2
+      #  - 3
+      #  </pre>
       def debug(object)
         begin
           Marshal::dump(object)