widgetz.rb aims to fix two problems with factoring and abstracting html
generation in rails using the normal 'helper' methodolgy:
1) helper methods are purely procedural and provide no state. ruby is an
object oriented language and we like to use objects to abstract things
where possible. widgetz lets you do just that. some people call this
encapsulation.
2) by using the normal rendering chain in rails, widgetz makes sure you
get a nice stack stace from the location in the widgetz template where
you used ruby's power blow your leg off instead of some esoteric message
from an anonymous module you barely knew.
widgetz are essentailly bags of data that use a controller to render
themselves. all the state of the widget is made available in the view as
local variables, while the normal @variables set in a controller remain
visible as normal. one special local variable, 'widget', is set in the view's
local vars so you have a handle on the widget in order to use it for some evil
purpose.
widgetz.rb aims to fix two problems with factoring and abstracting
html generation in rails using the normal 'helper' methodolgy:
1) helper methods are purely procedural and provide no state.
ruby is an object oriented language and we like to use objects to
abstract things where possible. widgetz lets you do just that. some
people call this encapsulation.
2) by using the normal rendering chain in rails, widgetz makes
sure you get a nice stack stace from the location in the widgetz
template where you used ruby's power blow your leg off instead of some
esoteric message from an anonymous module you barely knew.
widgetz are essentailly bags of data that use a controller to render
themselves. all the state of the widget is made available in the view
as local variables, while the normal @variables set in a controller
remain visible as normal. one special local variable, 'widget', is
set in the view's local vars so you have a handle on the widget in
order to use it for some evil purpose.
