optional local variables in rails partial templates: how do I get out of the (defined? foo) mess?

Question

I\'ve been a bad kid and used the following syntax in my partial templates to set default values for local variables if a value wasn\'t explicitly defined in the :locals has

Answer 1

If you do not want to pass local variable to partial each time you call it you do this:

<% local_param = defined?(local_param) ? local_param : nil %>

This way you avoid undefined variable error. This will allow you to call your partial with/without local variables.