Learning Rails

ScriptaculousHelper

Like the PrototypeHelper methods, ScriptaculousHelper methods provide ready Ruby-based access to JavaScript components in the browser. While Prototype focuses on basic Ajax communications, Script.aculo.us focuses more on actions and special effects:

draggable_element

Identifies an HTML element, specified by id attribute value, as supporting user efforts to drag it around the screen and potentially drop it on a receiving element.

drop_receiving_element

Identifies an HTML element, again by id attribute value, as a container where users can drop draggable objects and expect a response. When the drop happens, the code this creates can make a remote Ajax call or a local JavaScript call, and supports class-based constraints on which objects to accept. It also supports changing the class of the receiving element to give users visual feedback when they’ve positioned a draggable object over a container that could accept it.

sortable_element

Identifies an HTML element, again by id attribute value, as a collection users can reorder, making an Ajax call when changes occur.

visual_effect

Provides access to the Script.aculo.us library’s collection of visual effects, applying them to an HTML element specified by id.