Component Structure

gistfile1.coffee

## /backbone/apps
## /backbone/entities
## /backbone/mixins
## /backbone/components

## Example Component as a class instantiated from an app's controller
## /backbone/components/pattern_selector/pattern_selector.js
@YOURAPP.module "Components", (Components, App, Backbone, Marionette, $, _) ->

  class Components.PatternSelector
    constructor: (options = {}) ->
      ## do config stuff here to tell this component how to operate
      _.defaults options,
        key: value
        do: this
        and: that
        returnView: true
      
      if options.returnView
        view = @getView opts
        view    

    getView: (opts) ->
      new PatternSelector.View
        model: opts.model
        collection: opts.collection
        config: opts.config

## Example views managed by your Component
## /backbone/components/pattern_selector/views/view.js
@YOURAPP.module "Components.PatternSelector", (PatternSelector, App, Backbone, Marionette, $, _) ->

  class PatternSelector.View extends Marionette.ItemView
    ##typical view config here

## How this Component is used elsewhere
## /backbone/apps/liners/controllers/builder_controller.js
@YOURAPP.module "Liner.LinerBuilder", (LinerBuilder, App, Backbone, Marionette, $, _) ->

  LinerBuilder.Controller =
    showLiner: (opts) ->
      patternSelector = new App.Components.PatternSelector(opts)
      App.somethingRegion.show patternSelector.getView()
      ## now you have the patternSelector instance, you can do what you want with it, or let it roll

## you don't have to make the pattern selector a class with an instance either, that would just be an example of something you want to work further with normally.  For things that just auto work the component would probably take more config like what region to insert itself into

When using this structure the sub-modules turn out as undefined for me.