module ActionController # The Rails framework provides a large number of helpers for working with +assets+, +dates+, +forms+, # +numbers+ and model objects, to name a few. These helpers are available to all templates # by default. # # In addition to using the standard template helpers provided in the Rails framework, creating custom helpers to # extract complicated logic or reusable functionality is strongly encouraged. By default, the controller will # include a helper whose name matches that of the controller, e.g., MyController will automatically # include MyHelper. # # Additional helpers can be specified using the +helper+ class method in ActionController::Base or any # controller which inherits from it. # # ==== Examples # The +to_s+ method from the Time class can be wrapped in a helper method to display a custom message if # the Time object is blank: # # module FormattedTimeHelper # def format_time(time, format=:long, blank_message=" ") # time.blank? ? blank_message : time.to_s(format) # end # end # # FormattedTimeHelper can now be included in a controller, using the +helper+ class method: # # class EventsController < ActionController::Base # helper FormattedTimeHelper # def index # @events = Event.find(:all) # end # end # # Then, in any view rendered by EventController, the format_time method can be called: # # <% @events.each do |event| -%> #
# <% format_time(event.time, :short, "N/A") %> | <%= event.name %> #
# <% end -%> # # Finally, assuming we have two event instances, one which has a time and one which does not, # the output might look like this: # # 23 Aug 11:30 | Carolina Railhawks Soccer Match # N/A | Carolina Railhaws Training Workshop # module Helpers extend ActiveSupport::Concern include AbstractController::Helpers included do # Set the default directory for helpers extlib_inheritable_accessor(:helpers_dir) do defined?(Rails) ? "#{Rails.root}/app/helpers" : "app/helpers" end end module ClassMethods def inherited(klass) klass.class_eval { default_helper_module! unless name.blank? } super end # Declares helper accessors for controller attributes. For example, the # following adds new +name+ and name= instance methods to a # controller and makes them available to the view: # helper_attr :name # attr_accessor :name # # ==== Parameters # *attrs