Rails - Jan 2006 - template/variable confusion

Hi there,
I''m having some trouble working out where/when I can define template
variables.

I have a standard.rhtml layout template which is used across the application as
the main xhtml wrapper.
Inside there is some code like this:

	<div id="<%= @layout_style %>">
	<%= @content_for_layout %>
	</div>

Now content_for_layout always works fine, but @layout_style seems to only work
if I set it either within a method in a specific controller thus:

	@layout_style = ''content''

or when I define it at the top of the appropriate @content_for_layout template
thus:

	<% @layout_style = ''index'' %>

I was hoping that I would be able to set variables such as this globally within
the application.rb controller.
Or, am I just going about this in completely the wrong way :) ?

I am also having trouble writing (what I think are called) overload methods
within the model. I have a TIME column named running_time in my Film model and I
only ever want it to look like this e.g.: ''5:32'' rather than
the fully rendered datetime that is returned by default. So I define a method in
the model to override the default:

	def running_time
	  # strftime code here
	end

but whenever I try and reference the value of running_time from withing the
method I get a stack overload.
What would be the best way to do what I initially though should be done like
this:

	self.running_time.strftime("%M:%S")

?

It''s taking me a while to get the idioms and the heuristics for RoR...
Thanks in advance for any help available!

dorian

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I do things for love or money
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+44 (0)7941 219 501
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aim:oulalipo | yahoo:tachekent

I would create multiple layouts (put them in 
app/views/layouts/???.rhtml), and set them in the controller:

class TestController < ApplicationController
  layout ''content''
end

would use content.rhtml.

Maybe:

def running_time
  super.strftime("%M:%S")
end

or:

def running_time
  read_attribute(:running_time).strftime("%M:%S")
end

Jules

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Posted via http://www.ruby-forum.com/.

Thanks for that,
> I would create multiple layouts (put them in 
> app/views/layouts/???.rhtml), and set them in the controller:
> 
> class TestController < ApplicationController
>   layout ''content''
> end
> 
> would use content.rhtml.
I understand that bit, but the layout is so similar that it seems a bit
unnecessary and against the whole DRY principle to repeat it.
I know I can use partials but I need foolproof access to the main display
template.

> Maybe:
> 
> def running_time
>   super.strftime("%M:%S")
> end
> 
> or:
> 
> def running_time
>   read_attribute(:running_time).strftime("%M:%S")
> end
actually I sorted it by using:

self[:running_time].strftime("%M:%S")

is that bad?
> Jules
> 
thanks again

dorian

-- 
I do things for love or money
--
+44 (0)7941 219 501
--
aim:oulalipo | yahoo:tachekent

Dorian Mcfarland wrote:
> but whenever I try and reference the value of running_time from withing 
> the method I get a stack overload.
> What would be the best way to do what I initially though should be done 
> like this:
> 
> 	self.running_time.strftime("%M:%S")
> 
I think you need to create an alias to the original method.

alias :old_running_time :running_time

def running_time
  self.send(:old_running_time).strftime("%M:%S")
end

That way it won''t try to keep calling itself.

_Kevin


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