== Note

This project is no longer maintained. Lately I've been using DataTables for jQuery (http://datatables.net/) instead of jqGrid, and like the simple_datatables gem for integration with Rails 3.1 apps (http://github.com/gryphon/simple_datatables)

= Gridify

A Ruby wrapper and Rails plugin for jqGrid.

jqGrid is a rich featured data grid built with the jQuery javascript library. http://www.trirand.com/jqgridwiki/doku.php

Gridify defines a simplified, more consistent API for jqGrid rather than directly emulate the jqGrid api and options in Ruby.

Gridify tries to respect the MVC (model-view-controller) architecture of your application. This is challenging because grid features span all three areas: it's clearly part of the "view" as it mostly resides in the browser; columns in the table often directly map to columns in the model (database); and grid's ajax requests are handled by controllers. Gridfy gives you some flexibility in managing grids within MVC.

== Installation

$ script/plugin install git://github.com/linoj/gridify.git

== Scripts

Be sure to include all the javascripts and stylesheets in the +

<%= stylesheet_link_tag 'application' %> <%= stylesheet_link_tag 'ui/start/jquery-ui-1.7.2.custom' %> <%= stylesheet_link_tag 'ui.jqgrid' %> <%= stylesheet_link_tag 'ui.multiselect' %>

<%= javascript_include_tag 'jquery-1.3.2.min' %> <%= javascript_include_tag 'jquery-ui-1.7.2.custom.min' %> <%= javascript_include_tag 'grid.locale-en' %> <%= javascript_include_tag 'jquery.jqGrid' %> <%= javascript_include_tag 'ui.multiselect' %>

Note: When you download jqGrid, jQuery, and jqUI grab all the bits you'll be using (or just package everything)

== Examples

=== Example 1

Lets say we have an ActiveRecord model "Note" which we want to display in a grid.

In app/models/note.rb,

class Note < ActiveRecord::Base gridify end

In the NotesController,

def index if request.xhr? records = Note.find_for_grid :grid, params render :xml => Note.grid.encode_records(records) else @grid = Note.grid end
end

In the app/views/notes/index.html.erb,

<%= @grid %>

Notes Grid

In this example, +gridify+ creates a default grid named "grid" for the Notes model. In the controller, the #index html action supplies the +@grid+ object used by the view; the #index xml action responds to request +params+ with the encoded data. In the view, [email protected]_s+ generates the javascript code needed for the grid, which populates the table and pager div.

=== Example 2

Here we add some options, including

• use a grid named "mylist" (allowing multiple grids on a model)
• limit to specific grid columns
• ajax requests in json format (instead of xml)
• enable user resizing the grid width and height
• enable user arranging and resizing columns
• enable the search toolbar (search fields atop each column when search button is toggled)

In app/models/note.rb,

class Note < ActiveRecord::Base gridify :mylist, :only => [:title, :body, :updated_at], :data_type => :json, :resizeable => true, :arranger => [:sortable, :hide_show], :search_toolbar => true end

In the NotesController is same as Example 1 except returns json instead of xml (all the search and sort params are handled by find_for_grid)

def index if request.xhr? records = Note.find_for_grid :mylist, params render :json => Note.grid.encode_records(records) else @grid = Note.grid :mylist end
end

In the app/views/notes/index.html.erb is the same as Example 1, except uses "mylist" name

<%= @grid %>

My Notes List

=== Example 3

Here we progressively enhance an html table into a grid. Grid is independent of the ActiveRecord model. No ajax requests.

In app/views/notes/index.html.erb,

<%= Grid.new( Note, :dom_id => "list", :table_to_grid => true ) %>

Notes List

NotesController#index is standard html response, for example,

def index @notes = Note.all end

=== Example 4

In the more complex example we take more control of individual columns, including

• initially hide the created_at column
• the title column is not resizable

and allow record (row) editing, adding, and delete via RESTful requests

In app/models/note.rb,

class Note < ActiveRecord::Base gridify :editable => true, :pager => true, :edit_button => true, :add_button => true, :delete_button => true do |grid| grid.column :created_at, :hidden => true grid.column :title, :resizable => false end end

In the NotesController is same as Example 1, with other actions

def index if request.xhr? records = Note.find_for_grid :grid, params render :xml => Note.grid.encode_records(records) else @grid = Note.grid end
end

def create if request.xhr? note_params = Note.grid.member_params(params) @note = Note.new( note_params ) # must return nothing on success (until we setup a format for returning ok vs error) msg = "" unless @note.save @note.errors.entries.each do |error| msg << "#{error[0]} : #{error[1]}
" end
end render :text => msg else @note = Note.new(params[:note]) if @note.save flash[:notice] = "Successfully created note." redirect_to @note else render :action => 'new' end end
end

def update @note = Note.find(params[:id]) if request.xhr? note_params = Note.grid.member_params(params) msg = "success" unless @note.update_attributes( note_params ) @note.errors.entries.each do |error| msg << "#{error[0]} : #{error[1]}
" end
end render :text => msg else if @note.update_attributes(params[:note]) flash[:notice] = "Successfully updated note." redirect_to @note else render :action => 'edit' end end end

def destroy # NOTE: if allow multiselect should check :id for string of comma delimited id's @note = Note.find(params[:id]) @note.destroy if request.xhr? render :nothing => true else flash[:notice] = "Successfully destroyed note." redirect_to notes_url
end end

In the app/views/notes/index.html.erb is the same as Example 1

<%= @grid %>

Notes Grid

For this to work, you should use my fork of jqgrid http://github.com/linoj/jqGrid which adds support for RESTful routes (see http://www.vaporbase.com/postings/jqGrid_for_RESTful_Rails ) until it gets merged.

The #member_params method maps the attribute parameters into a hash as expected by update_attributes.

=== Example 5

By way of better practices, I recommend you ensure the grid javascript is placed in the document header. For example,

In views/layouts/application.rb, the +

And in the views, say,

<% content_for :head %> <%= @grid %> <% end

Notes Grid

If it bothers you to put view-specific options in the model, these can be added later (e.g. in the view or in a view helper) using #update. For example,

<%= @grid.update( :search_toolbar => false ) %>

== API

See the source code for all the options. For most of the grid and view options, see grid_options.rb. For column model options, see grid_column.rb.

You can escape the Gridify api and use the jqGrid native options directly.

Copyright (c) 2010 Jonathan Linowes, released under the MIT license