Module Merb::Helpers::Form
In: lib/merb-helpers/form/helpers.rb

Form helpers provide a number of methods to simplify the creation of HTML forms. They can work directly with models (bound) or standalone (unbound).

Methods

Classes and Modules

Module Merb::Helpers::Form::Builder

Public Instance methods

Generates a HTML button.

Parameters

contents<String>:HTML contained within the button tag
attrs<Hash>:HTML attributes

Returns

String:HTML

Notes

 * Buttons do not always work as planned in IE
   http://www.peterbe.com/plog/button-tag-in-IE
 * Not all mobile browsers support buttons
   http://nickcowie.com/2007/time-to-stop-using-the-button-element/

Example

  <%= button "Initiate Launch Sequence" %>

Provides a generic HTML checkbox input tag. There are two ways this tag can be generated, based on the option :boolean. If not set to true, a "magic" input is generated. Otherwise, an input is created that can be easily used for passing an array of values to the application.

Parameters

method<Symbol>:Resource attribute
attrs<Hash>:HTML attributes and options

Returns

String:HTML

Example

  <%= check_box :name => "is_activated", :value => "1" %>
  <%= check_box :name => "choices[]", :boolean => false, :value => "dog" %>
  <%= check_box :name => "choices[]", :boolean => false, :value => "cat" %>
  <%= check_box :name => "choices[]", :boolean => false, :value => "weasle" %>

Used with a model:

  <%= check_box :is_activated, :label => "Activated?" %>

Generates a HTML delete button.

If an object is passed as first parameter, Merb will try to use the resource url for the object If the object doesn‘t have a resource view, pass a url

Parameters

object_or_url<Object> or <String>:Object to delete or URL to send the request to
contents<String>:HTML contained within the button tag
attrs<Hash>:HTML attributes

Returns

String:HTML

Example

  <%= delete_button @article, "Delete article now", :class => 'delete-btn' %>
  <%= delete_button url(:article, @article)%>
error_messages(obj = nil, opts = {})

Alias for error_messages_for

Provides a HTML formatted display of resource errors in an unordered list with a h2 form submission error

Parameters

obj<Object>:Model or Resource
error_class<String>:CSS class to use for error container
build_li<String>:Custom li tag to wrap each error in
header<String>:Custom header text for the error container
before<Boolean>:Display the errors before or inside of the form

Returns

String:HTML

Examples

  <%= error_messages_for @person %>
  <%= error_messages_for @person {|errors| "You can has probs nao: #{errors.size} of em!"}
  <%= error_messages_for @person, lambda{|error| "<li class='aieeee'>#{error.join(' ')}"} %>
  <%= error_messages_for @person, nil, 'bad_mojo' %>

Creates a scope around a specific resource object like form_for, but doesnt create the form tags themselves. This makes fields_for suitable for specifying additional resource objects in the same form.

Examples

  <%= form_for @person do %>
    <%= text_field :first_name, :label => "First Name" %>
    <%= text_field :last_name,  :label => "Last Name" %>
    <%= fields_for @permission do %>
      <%= check_box :is_admin, :label => "Administrator" %>
    <% end =%>
    <%= submit "Create" %>
  <% end =%>

Provides the ability to create quick fieldsets as blocks for your forms.

Parameters

attrs<Hash>:HTML attributes and options

Options

legend:Adds a legend tag within the fieldset

Returns

String:HTML

Notes

Block helpers use the <%= =%> syntax

Example

  <%= fieldset :legend => "Customer Options" do %>
    ...your form elements
  <% end =%>

Generates the HTML:

  <fieldset>
    <legend>Customer Options</legend>
    ...your form elements
  </fieldset>

Provides a HTML file input

Parameters

name<Symbol>:Model or Resource
attrs<Hash>:HTML attributes

Returns

String:HTML

Example

  <%= file_field :name => "file", :label => "File" %>

Used with a model:

  <%= file_field :file, :label => "Choose a file" %>

Generates a form tag, which accepts a block that is not directly based on resource attributes

Parameters

attrs<Hash>:HTML attributes

Returns

String:HTML

Notes

 * Block helpers use the <%= =%> syntax
 * a multipart enctype is automatically set if the form contains a file upload field

Example

  <%= form :action => url(:controller => "foo", :action => "bar", :id => 1) do %>
    <%= text_field :name => "first_name", :label => "First Name" %>
    <%= submit "Create" %>
  <% end =%>

  Generates the HTML:

  <form action="/foo/bar/1" method="post">
    <label for="first_name">First Name</label>
    <input type="text" id="first_name" name="first_name" />
    <input type="submit" value="Create" />
  </form>

Generates a resource specific form tag which accepts a block, this also provides automatic resource routing.

Parameters

name<Symbol>:Model or Resource
attrs<Hash>:HTML attributes

Returns

String:HTML

Notes

 * Block helpers use the <%= =%> syntax

Example

  <%= form_for @person do %>
    <%= text_field :first_name, :label => "First Name" %>
    <%= text_field :last_name,  :label => "Last Name" %>
    <%= submit "Create" %>
  <% end =%>

The HTML generated for this would be:

  <form action="/people" method="post">
    <label for="person_first_name">First Name</label>
    <input type="text" id="person_first_name" name="person[first_name]" />
    <label for="person_last_name">Last Name</label>
    <input type="text" id="person_last_name" name="person[last_name]" />
    <input type="submit" value="Create" />
  </form>

Provides a HTML hidden input field

Parameters

name<Symbol>:Model or Resource
attrs<Hash>:HTML attributes

Returns

String:HTML

Example

  <%= hidden_field :name => "secret", :value => "some secret value" %>

Used with a model:

  <%= hidden_field :identifier %>
  # => <input type="hidden" id="person_identifier" name="person[identifier]" value="#{@person.identifier}" />

Provides a generic HTML label.

Parameters

attrs<Hash>:HTML attributes

Returns

String:HTML

Example

  <%= label "Full Name", :for => "name" %>
  => <label for="name">Full Name</label>

Provides a HTML password input.

Parameters

name<Symbol>:Model or Resource
attrs<Hash>:HTML attributes

Returns

String:HTML

Example

  <%= password_field :name => :password, :label => "Password" %>
  # => <label for="password">Password</label><input type="password" id="password" name="password" />

Used with a model:

  <%= password_field :password, :label => 'New Password' %>

Provides a HTML radio input tag

Parameters

method<Symbol>:Resource attribute
attrs<Hash>:HTML attributes and options

Returns

String:HTML

Example

  <%= radio_button :name => "radio_options", :value => "1", :label => "One" %>
  <%= radio_button :name => "radio_options", :value => "2", :label => "Two" %>
  <%= radio_button :name => "radio_options", :value => "3", :label => "Three", :checked => true %>

Used with a model:

  <%= form_for @person do %>
    <%= radio_button :first_name %>
  <% end =%>

Provides a radio group based on a resource attribute. This is generally used within a resource block such as form_for.

Parameters

method<Symbol>:Resource attribute
arr<Array>:Choices

Returns

String:HTML

Examples

  <%# the labels are the options %>
  <%= radio_group :my_choice, [5,6,7] %>

  <%# custom labels %>
  <%= radio_group :my_choice, [{:value => 5, :label => "five"}] %>

Provides a HTML select

Parameters

method<Symbol>:Resource attribute
attrs<Hash>:HTML attributes and options

Options

prompt:Adds an additional option tag with the provided string with no value.
selected:The value of a selected object, which may be either a string or an array.
include_blank:Adds an additional blank option tag with no value.
collection:The collection for the select options
text_method:Method to determine text of an option (as a symbol). Ex: :text_method => :name will call .name on your record object for what text to display.
value_method:Method to determine value of an option (as a symbol).

Returns

String:HTML

Example

  <%= select :name, :collection => %w(one two three) %>

Generates a HTML submit button.

Parameters

value<String>:Sets the value="" attribute
attrs<Hash>:HTML attributes

Returns

String:HTML

Example

  <%= submit "Process" %>

Provides a HTML textarea tag

Parameters

contents<String>:Contents of the text area
attrs<Hash>:HTML attributes

Returns

String:HTML

Example

  <%= text_area "my comments", :name => "comments" %>

Used with a model:

  <%= text_area :comments %>

Provides a HTML text input tag

Parameters

name<Symbol>:Model or Resource
attrs<Hash>:HTML attributes

Returns

String:HTML

Example

  <%= text_field :name => :fav_color, :label => "Your Favorite Color" %>
  # => <label for="fav_color">Your Favorite Color</label><input type="text" id="fav_color" name="fav_color" />

Used with a model:

  <%= form_for @person do %>
    <%= text_field :first_name, :label => "First Name" %>
  <% end =%>

[Validate]