One of the areas where I think Rails goes too far is in many of the helpers that (AFAICT) do nothing more than change the syntax used to write simple HTML tags. link_to and many of the form tags come to mind. For me, these helpers aren''t that helpful. I find the HTML much clearer to write and read, I don''t see any added value in the overhead costs of using code to generate a simple HTML tag. I have written several code generators for complicated stuff like producing sortable, paginated lists, so I''m not against generating HTML, just not generating individual tags. So, before I dismiss them entirely, what''s the argument for using them? -- gw --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Ruby on Rails: Talk" group. To post to this group, send email to rubyonrails-talk-/JYPxA39Uh5TLH3MbocFFw@public.gmane.org To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rubyonrails-talk-unsubscribe-/JYPxA39Uh5TLH3MbocFFw@public.gmane.org For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rubyonrails-talk?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
Greg Willits wrote:> One of the areas where I think Rails goes too far is in many of the > helpers that (AFAICT) do nothing more than change the syntax used to > write simple HTML tags. link_to and many of the form tags come to mind. > > For me, these helpers aren''t that helpful. I find the HTML much > clearer to write and read, I don''t see any added value in the > overhead costs of using code to generate a simple HTML tag. I have > written several code generators for complicated stuff like producing > sortable, paginated lists, so I''m not against generating HTML, just > not generating individual tags. > > So, before I dismiss them entirely, what''s the argument for using them? > > -- gw >I guess it''s easier to read for one (IMHO) but doesn''t link_to also allow you to create a link that''s a little more complex without thinking about it, e.g. considering the controller and the action and the popups and the confirms (OK, I''m just reading this off the API) and the method (POST, delete, etc.) Also, I can''t remember if it takes care of routes also... Either way, I guess you can ignore (dismiss) it till it you need it :) Cheers, Mohit. 11/6/2007 | 2:00 AM. --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Ruby on Rails: Talk" group. To post to this group, send email to rubyonrails-talk-/JYPxA39Uh5TLH3MbocFFw@public.gmane.org To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rubyonrails-talk-unsubscribe-/JYPxA39Uh5TLH3MbocFFw@public.gmane.org For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rubyonrails-talk?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
> One of the areas where I think Rails goes too far is in many of the > helpers that (AFAICT) do nothing more than change the syntax used to > write simple HTML tags. link_to and many of the form tags come to mind. > > For me, these helpers aren''t that helpful. I find the HTML much > clearer to write and read, I don''t see any added value in the > overhead costs of using code to generate a simple HTML tag. I have > written several code generators for complicated stuff like producing > sortable, paginated lists, so I''m not against generating HTML, just > not generating individual tags. > > So, before I dismiss them entirely, what''s the argument for using them?Not having to remember as much syntax for one, and knowing that if prototype changes it''s API, I (most likely) won''t have to change my view code... This: <% form_remote_tag :url => {:controller => ''home'', :action => ''get_email''}, :update => ''notice'', :loading => "Element.show(''indicator'');", :complete => "Element.hide(''indicator'');" do %> vs this: <form action="/home/get_email" method="post" onsubmit="new Ajax.Updater(''notice'', ''/home/get_email'', {asynchronous:true, evalScripts:true, onComplete:function(request){Element.hide(''indicator'');}, onLoading:function(request){Element.show(''indicator'');}, parameters:Form.serialize(this)}); return false;"> Also link to will parse the arguments and build the appropriate route which your handcoded link won''t. Most of the form tags will automatically set/check/etc the value if appropriate. The asset tag helpers get you the file modification builtin and let you easily use asset hosts. But you''re certainly not required to use them :) -philip --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Ruby on Rails: Talk" group. To post to this group, send email to rubyonrails-talk-/JYPxA39Uh5TLH3MbocFFw@public.gmane.org To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rubyonrails-talk-unsubscribe-/JYPxA39Uh5TLH3MbocFFw@public.gmane.org For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rubyonrails-talk?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
The link_to and friends really are one of the best things about the
application.
link_to "Home", :action=>"public",
:controller=>"index"
That''s nice, because it will build /public/index/ for me, no matter
what
level of my app I''m in. I don''t have to worry about parent
paths, nested
structures, etc.
But it gets better. If I define a named route in routes.rb
map.home '''', :controller=>"public",
:action=>"index"
Now, without changing links, the link_to example I used above will render a
link to /
And now that I have a named route, I can shorten that code to
link_to "Home", home_url
That''s even better, because now someone might come along and decide
that the
homepage needs to be moved into a different controller, like "main"
because
they don''t like "public"
So I just change the route
map.home '''', :controller=>"main",
:action=>"index"
And all my links change.
How''s that?
On 11/5/07, Philip Hallstrom
<rails-SUcgGwS4C16SUMMaM/qcSw@public.gmane.org>
wrote:>
>
> > One of the areas where I think Rails goes too far is in many of the
> > helpers that (AFAICT) do nothing more than change the syntax used to
> > write simple HTML tags. link_to and many of the form tags come to
mind.
> >
> > For me, these helpers aren''t that helpful. I find the HTML
much
> > clearer to write and read, I don''t see any added value in the
> > overhead costs of using code to generate a simple HTML tag. I have
> > written several code generators for complicated stuff like producing
> > sortable, paginated lists, so I''m not against generating
HTML, just
> > not generating individual tags.
> >
> > So, before I dismiss them entirely, what''s the argument for
using them?
>
> Not having to remember as much syntax for one, and knowing that if
> prototype changes it''s API, I (most likely) won''t have to
change my view
> code...
>
> This:
>
> <% form_remote_tag :url => {:controller =>
''home'',
> :action => ''get_email''},
> :update => ''notice'',
> :loading => "Element.show(''indicator'');",
> :complete => "Element.hide(''indicator'');"
do %>
>
> vs this:
>
> <form action="/home/get_email" method="post"
onsubmit="new
> Ajax.Updater(''notice'',
''/home/get_email'', {asynchronous:true,
> evalScripts:true,
>
onComplete:function(request){Element.hide(''indicator'');},
>
onLoading:function(request){Element.show(''indicator'');},
> parameters:Form.serialize(this)}); return false;">
>
> Also link to will parse the arguments and build the appropriate route
> which your handcoded link won''t.
>
> Most of the form tags will automatically set/check/etc the value if
> appropriate.
>
> The asset tag helpers get you the file modification builtin and let you
> easily use asset hosts.
>
> But you''re certainly not required to use them :)
>
> -philip
>
>
> >
>
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