Backbone layout manager

example.js

FooterV = SomeViewInstance;
MainV = SomeViewInstace;

MyLayout = Backbone.Layout.extend({
  template: function(){
    // this can be any js function that returns html or a jquery el
    return "<div id='sidebar'/><div id='main'/><div id='footer'/>";
  },
  
  // Define friendly names for regions
  regions: {
    "sidebar": "#sidebar",
    "content": "#content",
    "footer": "#footer"
  },
  
  // Define any default region views
  views: {
    "footer": FooterV
  }
});

sickLayout = new MyLayout

$("body").html(sickLayout.render().el)

// show will call clear on any views already in the region
// then put view.render().el in it
sickLayout.set("content", MainV).show("content")

// clear will call close on the view and empty the region
sickLayout.clear("content")

// get will get the view currently in a region
sickLayout.get("content").doSomething()

layout.coffee

define ->
  # extend backbone
  class Backbone.Layout extends Backbone.View
    $regions: {}
    _regions: {}

    render: ->
      @$el.empty()

      if @template?
        @$el.append @template arguments...

      @$set name, select for own name, select of @regions

      if @views?
        @set name, v for own name, v of @views

      @trigger "render", @
      return @

    $set: (name, selector) => @$regions[name] = @$ selector 
    $get: (name) => @$regions[name]
    get: (name) => @_regions[name]
    set: (name, nu) =>
      throw new Error "Invalid region" unless @$regions[name]
      @clear name
      @_regions[name] = nu
      @trigger "change:#{name}", nu
      @trigger "change", name, nu
      return @

    show: (name, a...) =>
      throw new Error "Invalid region" unless @$regions[name]
      throw new Error "Region not set to a view" unless @_regions[name]
      vu = @_regions[name]
      vu.setElement vu.el
      @$regions[name].html vu.render(a...).el
      @trigger "show:#{name}"
      @trigger "show", name
      return @

    clear: (name) =>
      @_regions[name]?.close?()
      @$regions[name]?.empty()
      @trigger "clear:#{name}"
      @trigger "clear", name
      return @

  _.extend Backbone.Layout 
  return Backbone