gistfile1.js

var smb = {
  parse: function (response) {
    if (response.error_text) {
      var ErrorMessage = smb.module('error_message');
      var error_message = new ErrorMessage.Views.Flash({
        message: response.error_text
      });
    }
    if (typeof this.extra_parse === "function") {
      return this.extra_parse(response);
    }
    if (response.data) {
      return response.data;
    }
    return response;
  },

  flash_error: function (response) {
    var message = 'There was a problem connecting to the server, ' +
      'please try again';
    if (response.readyState === 4 &&
        JSON.parse(response.responseText).error_text) {
      message = JSON.parse(response.responseText).error_text;
    }

    var ErrorMessage = smb.module('error_message');
    var error_message = new ErrorMessage.Views.Flash({
      message: message
    });
  },

  wrap_callbacks: function (that, options) {
    var new_options = _.clone(options) || {};

    new_options.success = function (object, response) {
      if (options && typeof options.success === "function") {
        options.success.call(object, response);
      }
    };

    new_options.error = function (object, response) {
      if (options && typeof options.error === "function") {
        options.error.call(object, response);
      }

      smb.flash_error(response);
    };

    return new_options;
  }
};

smb = _.extend(smb, {

  Model: Backbone.Model.extend({
    fetch: function (options) {
      this.trigger('fetching');
      Backbone.Model.prototype.fetch.call(
        this,
        smb.wrap_callbacks(this, options)
      );
    },

    parse: smb.parse

  }),

  Collection: Backbone.Collection.extend({
    fetch: function (options) {
      this.trigger('fetching');
      Backbone.Collection.prototype.fetch.call(
        this,
        smb.wrap_callbacks(this, options)
      );
    },

    parse: smb.parse
  }),

});

// Error Messages
// --------------

(function (ErrorMessage) {

  ErrorMessage.Views.Flash = Backbone.View.extend({

    initialize: function () {
      this.$el = $('#flash-container');
      this.template = _.template($('#error-message-template').html());
      this.render();
    },

    render: function () {
      this.$el.html(this.template({message: this.options.message}));
    }
  });

}(smb.module('error_message')));