gistfile1.txt

// My controller:

pg.controllers.Main = Backbone.Controller.extend({
  routes: { },
  
  initialize: function () {
    pg.account        = new pg.model.Account(window.account);
    Users = new pg.collections.UserList({ url: "/profiles" });
    Backbone.history.start();
  }
});

// My UserList constructor:

pg.collections.UserList = Backbone.Collection.extend({
  
  model: pg.model.User,
  
  initialize: function(options) {
    this.options = options || {};
    if (this.options.url) this.url = this.options.url;
  }
});

// The above doesn't work because the api for Collections (and Models) is different than for Views. 
// This inconsistency led to a bug where Backbone.Collection was taking my options, { url: "/profiles" } and treating it as the 'models' arg. 

// I finally figured out that I need to do this instead:


// My controller:

pg.controllers.Main = Backbone.Controller.extend({
  routes: { },
  
  initialize: function () {
    pg.account        = new pg.model.Account(window.account);
    Users = new pg.collections.UserList(null, { url: "/profiles" });
    Backbone.history.start();
  }
});

// My UserList constructor:

pg.collections.UserList = Backbone.Collection.extend({
  
  model: pg.model.User,
  
  initialize: function(models, options) {
    this.options = options || {};
    if (this.options.url) this.url = this.options.url;
  }
});