gistfile1.txt

# in ApplicationController

  def admin_nav
    return unless current_user
    @sec_nav = []
    @current_main = "Admin"
    
    @sec_nav << {:name => "Users", :link => users_path} if admin?
    @sec_nav << {:name => "Invites", :link => invites_path} if admin?   
  end

# in ApplicationHelper

  def main_nav
    top_nav = []
    return top_nav unless current_user
    
    top_nav << {:name => "Dashboard", :link => dashboard_path}
    top_nav << {:name => "Character", :link => characters_path}
    top_nav << {:name => "Quest", :link => locations_path}
    top_nav << {:name => "Admin", :link => users_path} if admin?

    top_nav
  end

  def secondary_nav
    return [] unless current_user
    
    @sec_nav || []
  end
  
  def current_main
    @current_main || controller.controller_name.titleize
  end
  
  def current_second
    @current_second || controller.controller_name.titleize
  end

# specific controller

  before_filter :admin_nav

# In layout:

      <div id="main-navigation">
        <%= render :partial => "shared/navigation", :locals => {:tabs => main_nav, :current => current_main} %>
        <div class="clear"></div>
      </div>

# navigation partial

<ul>
  <% for tab in tabs
      cs = [] 
      cs << "first" if tab == tabs.first
      cs << "active" if tab[:name] == current
  %>              
  <li class="<%= cs.join(' ') %>"><%= link_to tab[:name], tab[:link] %></li>
  <% end %>  
</ul>