jQuery Templates
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A jQuery templating engine that allows embedded javascript templates for easy client side UI processing.

see http://github.com/merblogger for real application usage examples.

To load all templates:


Usually this is done when the document is ready, for example:


$(document).ready(function() {
  $.loadTemplates();
});


Templates are loaded in the DOM as <script/> tags and the rules are simple. Set the attribute to 'type="text/x-jquery-template"' and the title to what you would like to name the template. You will use the name to render the template later.

Let's consider a simple example of a template to generate a select box for entities:


<script type="text/x-jquery-template" title="entities">
  <select>
    <option value="">[new]</option>
    <% $.each(self.entities, function(index, entity) { %>
    <option value="<%= entity.value %>"> <%= entity.name %> </option>
    <% }); %>
  </select>
</script>


$.loadTemplates() 'compiles' the template with title 'entities' into the $.templates object and is directly accessable as $.templates.entites. Templates are compiled into JS functions that you can call passing in template 'local' data. For examle:


var html = $.templates.entites(
 [{value: 1, name: "foo"}, {value: 2, name: "bar" }]
);


After running this the 'html' variable will contain:

  <select>
    <option value="">[new]</option>
    <option value="1"> foo </option>
    <option value="2"> bar </option>
  </select>

Using jQuery this can be inserted directly into the DOM:


$("body").append(html);


OR


html.appendTo($("body"));



Helper methods may also be added to the templater, currently it comes with a 'partial' helper available. The 'partial()' helper allows us to call a named template from within another template.


partial("other-partial-title", ...local data...);