what goes where with ruby on rails

[opensas]

I think this subject deserves a cheat page.

Where would you put the following

1. enhacements to base classes
(like Numeric.format_integer or Time.format_shor_date)

I created files in \lib (like \lib\format.rb) and added
require "format"
in \app\controllers\application.rb

2. general helpers I want to be available to every view

I created a file in \lib (like \lib\debug_helper_module.rb), with a module definition (like "module DebugHelper")

then in \app\helpers\application_helper.rb

require "debug_helper_modules"
# Methods added to this helper will be available to all templates in the application.
module ApplicationHelper
include DebugHelper
end

but it didn't work

Well, I'm just giving my first steps with ruby, but it would be great to have a list telling where to put everything, in order to have a clean and tidy environment.

[Luke Redpath]

1. In the lib folder is the best place. If you are doing more than small modifications you might consider wrapping it up as a Rails plugin instead.

2. Either in application_helper.rb or in their own separate files (in the lib folder) which you can then mixin to ApplicationHelper. Not sure why that isn't working for you, I've never had problems with it. I may be missing something obvious that somebody else could point out.

[opensas]

Thanks a lot for your answer

I don't know what happened, but now everything seems to work

Just in case it might be useful to someone:

1. Extension to base classes (in this case CGI::Session and Numeric, String, Time )
=========================================================

------------------
#file: \lib\format.rb

class Numeric

def format_integer
sprintf( "%0.0f", self )
end

def format_code
format_integer
end

end

class String

def format_code
to_s
end

end

class Time

def format_short_date
self.strftime("%d/%m/%Y")
end

end
-------------

#file: \lib\session.rb
#allows treating the session as a hash

class CGI::Session

extend Forwardable
def_delegators :data, :each, :each_pair, :length, :size

def data
unless @data
@data = @dbman.restore
end
@data
end
end

----------

file: \app\controllers\application.rb

# Filters added to this controller will be run for all controllers in the application.
# Likewise, all the methods added will be available for all controllers.
class ApplicationController < ActionController::Base
end

#format methods for class Numeric String Time
require "format"

#session as a hash for class CGI::Session
require "session"

---------------------

2. Making a helper available to each and every controller
==========================================

---------------------
#file: \lib\dbug_helper_module.rb

module DebugHelper

def debug_object(object)
"<pre>" << object.to_yaml << "</pre>"
end

def debug_hash hash, title = ""
s =
"
<table border='1'>
<tr><th colspan='2'>#{title}(#{hash.size})</th></tr>
<tr><th>key</th><th>value</th></tr>
"
hash.each_pair { |key, value|
s += " <tr><td>#{key}</td><td>#{value}</td></tr>\r"
}
s +=
"</table>\n\n"
end

end

--------------------------
#file: \app\helpers\application_helper.rb

require "debug_helper_modules"

# Methods added to this helper will be available to all templates in the application.
module ApplicationHelper

include DebugHelper

end

-------------------------------

Well, that's it.

The difference is that in the first place, I just need to add a couple of methos to existing classes, so with just "requiring" them from application.rb is enought.

In the second place, I want to "include" methods inside a module that will be mixed-in every controller. That is, I want to mix a module inside a module that will be mixed (clear as mud, I guess)

Well, am I right?

Saludos

Sas