yourapp_model.js

/*

YourApp.Foo = YourApp.Model.extend({
  modelBindings: {
    "change:name": "displayName",
    "change:weight": function() { $("#weight").val(this.model.get("weight")); }
  }
})


*/


YourApp.Model = Backbone.Model.extend({
  //
  setModel: function(newModel) {
    var eventName, handler;

    // Unbind previous model, if any
    if(this.model) {
      this.model.unbind();
    }

    //
    if(newModel) {
      switch(typeof(this.modelBindings)) {
      case "function":
        this.modelBindings(this, newModel);
        break;

      case "object":
        this._applyModelBindingsObject(newModel);
        break;
      }
    }

    //
    this.model = newModel;
  },

  _applyModelBindingsObject: function(model, modelBindings) {
    // Defaults
    model || (model = this.model);
    modelBindings || (modelBindings = this.modelBindings || {});

    // Loop through bindings
    for(eventName in modelBindings) {
      handler = modelBindings[eventName];
      if(typeof(handler) == "string") {
        handler = this[handler];
      }

      if(_.isFunction(handler)) {
        model.bind(eventName, _.bind(handler, this));
      }
    }
  }
});