gistfile1.rb

  # code borrowed error_messages_for
  def error_counts_for(*params)
    #debugger
    options = params.extract_options!.symbolize_keys
    if object = options.delete(:object)
      objects = [object].flatten
    else
      objects = params.collect {|object_name| instance_variable_get("@#{object_name}") }.compact
    end
    #count   = objects.inject(0) {|sum, object| sum + (object.errors.count.zero? ? 0 : 1) }
    # total for each object, get count of fields with errors (uniq keys)
    count = objects.inject(0) { |sum, object| sum + 
      object.errors.collect { |k,v| k }.uniq.size
    }
    
    unless count.zero?
      options[:object_name] ||= params.first
      options[:header_message] = "Oops, #{pluralize(count, 'error')} prevented this #{options[:object_name].to_s.gsub('_', ' ')} from being saved" unless options.include?(:header_message)
      #options[:message] ||= 'There were problems with the following fields:' unless options.include?(:message)
      options[:message] ||= 'Please correct and try again' unless options.include?(:message)
      base_messages = objects.map {|object| content_tag :p, object.errors[:base] unless object.errors[:base].blank? }
      field_messages = objects.map {|object| object.errors.full_messages.map {|msg| content_tag(:li, msg) } }

      contents = ''
      contents << content_tag(options[:header_tag] || :h2, options[:header_message]) unless options[:header_message].blank?
      contents << content_tag(:p, options[:message]) unless options[:message].blank?
      contents << base_messages.to_s
      contents << content_tag(:ul, field_messages)

      content_tag(:div, contents, :class => 'errorExplanation')
    else
      ''
    end
  end