Module: ActionView::Helpers::CaptureHelper

Included in:
ActionView::Helpers
Defined in:
lib/action_view/helpers/capture_helper.rb

Overview

CaptureHelper exposes methods to let you extract generated markup which can be used in other parts of a template or layout file. It provides a method to capture blocks into variables through capture and a way to capture a block of markup for use in a layout through content_for.

Instance Method Summary collapse

Instance Method Details

#capture(*args, &block) ⇒ Object

The capture method allows you to extract part of a template into a variable. You can then use this variable anywhere in your templates or layout.

Examples

The capture method can be used in ERb templates...

<% @greeting = capture do %>
Welcome to my shiny new web page!  The date and time is
<%= Time.now %>
<% end %>

...and Builder (RXML) templates.

@timestamp = capture do
"The current timestamp is #{Time.now}."
end

You can then use that variable anywhere else. For example:

<%= @greeting %> <%= @greeting %> 


33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
 
# File 'lib/action_view/helpers/capture_helper.rb', line 33

def capture(*args, &block)
  # Return captured buffer in erb.
  if block_called_from_erb?(block)
    with_output_buffer { block.call(*args) }
  else
    # Return block result otherwise, but protect buffer also.
    with_output_buffer { return block.call(*args) }
  end
end

#content_for(name, content = nil, &block) ⇒ Object

Calling content_for stores a block of markup in an identifier for later use. You can make subsequent calls to the stored content in other templates or the layout by passing the identifier as an argument to yield.

Examples

<% content_for :not_authorized do %>
alert('You are not authorized to do that!')
<% end %>

You can then use yield :not_authorized anywhere in your templates.

<%= yield :not_authorized if current_user.nil? %>

You can also use this syntax alongside an existing call to yield in a layout. For example:

<%# This is the layout %>
<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">
<head>
<title>My Website</title>
<%= yield :script %>
</head>
<body>
<%= yield %>
</body>
</html>

And now, we'll create a view that has a content_for call that creates the script identifier.

<%# This is our view %>
Please login!

<% content_for :script do %>
<script type="text/javascript">alert('You are not authorized to view this page!')</script>
<% end %>

Then, in another view, you could to do something like this:

<%= link_to_remote 'Logout', :action => 'logout' %>

<% content_for :script do %>
<%= javascript_include_tag :defaults %>
<% end %>

That will place

Use an alternate output buffer for the duration of the block. Defaults to a new empty string.



127
128
129
130
131
132
133
 
# File 'lib/action_view/helpers/capture_helper.rb', line 127

def with_output_buffer(buf = '') #:nodoc:
  self.output_buffer, old_buffer = buf, output_buffer
  yield
  output_buffer
ensure
  self.output_buffer = old_buffer
end