sidebar_helper.rb

# MOST CODE AND IDEAS TAKEN FROM:
# http://www.igvita.com/2007/03/15/block-helpers-and-dry-views-in-rails/
module SidebarHelper
  # Only need this helper once, it will provide an interface to convert a block into a partial.
  # 1. Capture is a Rails helper which will 'capture' the output of a block into a variable
  # 2. Merge the 'body' variable into our options hash
  # 3. Render the partial with the given options hash. Just like calling the partial directly.
  def block_to_partial(partial_name, options = {}, &block)
    options.merge!(:body => capture(&block))
    concat(render(partial_name, options), &block)
  end

  # General sidebox.
  #
  # Renders a div with sidebox css class in the sidebar with an optional h3
  # title
  def sidebox(title_or_options = {}, options = {}, &block)
    if title_or_options.is_a?(Hash)
      options.merge!(title_or_options)
    else
      options.merge!(:box_title => title_or_options)
    end
    content_for(:sidebar) do
      block_to_partial('shared/sidebox', options, &block)
    end
  end

  # Renders a +sidebox+ with a list of (link) items. Default title is the
  # translation of the actions key
  def actions_box(box_title=:actions, options = {}, &block)
    sidebox(options.merge(:box_title => box_title)) do
      content_tag(:ul, :class => :actions, &block)
    end
  end

end