Automatically include controller/action-specific javascript files

javascript_auto_include provides basic helper methods for automatically including javascript files into your Rails 3 templates, based on a controller/action pattern. I found this to be a convenient way of avoiding countless content_fors in your views when trying to keep your javascripts unobtrusive.

Install

Should be as easy as:

$ gem install javascript_auto_include

Or in your Gemfile:

$ gem 'javascript_auto_include', '~> 0.1.0'

Usage

Put in your layout's head just like you would with javascript_include_tag

Basic

<%= javascript_auto_include_tag :defaults %>

... will insert the default javascripts (just like javascript_include_tag) and also look for an action-specifc javascript file at public/javascripts/:controller/:action.js. If it exists, it will be included as well.

With custom pattern

<%= javascript_auto_include_tag :defaults, :pattern => ':controller_:action.js' %>

... will work just like shown above but alter the search path according to the supplied pattern: public/javascripts/:controller_:action.js (e.g. public/javascripts/album_new.js)

Compatibility

javascript_auto_include_tag uses Rails' javascript_include_tag helper and passes on all options (:concat, :cache, ...) and keys (:defaults, :all, ...) supplied.

TODO

I just extracted this from a current project. It still lacks specs and testing but so far it seems to work for me.