How to use dojo toolkit with rails 3.1 asset pipeline and coffeescript?

Question

I'm trying to use dojo-toolkit as the JS framework on a rails 3.1 app, but I'm struggling to incorporate the dojo require structure with the sprockets require and coffeescript. It seems dojo expects the JS files on the disk, but I guess they're created on the fly from coffeescript.

Wondering if anyone has an idea of how the two require-s can co-exist.

Answer 1

I recently had to install dojo with rails 3.1 and the asset pipeline. Here are the steps I followed to make it work:

1/ Include Dojo

Put the dojo SDK under vendor/assets/javascripts so you get the dojo, dijit and dojox folder in it. Include it in your template:

= javascript_include_tag "dojo/dojo", :'data-dojo-config' => %Q(baseUrl: '/assets/dojo/', modulePaths: {modules: '/assets/modules', widgets: '/assets/widgets'})

Don't forget the leading '/' on assets!

You can use the Google CDN with a fallback:

script var djConfig = { baseUrl: '/assets/dojo/', modulePaths: {modules: '/assets/modules', widgets: 'widgets'} };
= javascript_include_tag "http://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/dojo/1.6.1/dojo/dojo.xd.js"
script ="typeof(dojo) === \"undefined\" && document.write(unescape('%3Cscript src=\"#{asset_path('dojo/dojo')}\"%3E%3C/script%3E'));".html_safe

The first line set your djConfig. The second actually requires dojo from Google. The third is the fallback.

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2/ Include your base file

Remove all "require" in your app/assets/javascripts/application.js and put something like that (for instance):

dojo.provide("myapp");

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3/ Play with dojo.require

In the djConfig in 1/, I set the modulePaths, custom them to what you want. In my exemple, you would have those two where you can put your files:

• app/assets/javascripts/modules/
• app/assets/javascripts/widgets/

If I want to require modules/test.js, I just do:

dojo.require("modules.test");

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4/ Use coffeescript and ERB

Just add the right extension and start right erb, like described in the Rails documentation.

I hope it helps you!