# module ActionView::Helpers::TextHelper

The TextHelper module provides a set of methods for filtering, formatting and transforming strings, which can reduce the amount of inline Ruby code in your views. These helper methods extend Action View making them callable within your template files.

#### Sanitization¶ ↑

Most text helpers by default sanitize the given content, but do not escape it. This means HTML tags will appear in the page but all malicious code will be removed. Let’s look at some examples using the `simple_format` method:

    simple_format('<a href="http://example.com/">Example</a>')
    # => "<p><a href=\"http://example.com/\">Example</a></p>"

    simple_format('<a href="javascript:alert(\no!\)">Example</a>')
    # => "<p><a>Example</a></p>"

If you want to escape all content, you should invoke the `h` method before calling the text helper.

    simple_format h('<a href="http://example.com/">Example</a>')
    # => "<p>&lt;a href=\"http://example.com/\"&gt;Example&lt;/a&gt;</p>"

### Public Instance Methods

concat(string) click to toggle source

The preferred method of outputting text in your views is to use the <%= “text” %> eRuby syntax. The regular puts and print methods do not operate as expected in an eRuby code block. If you absolutely must output text within a non-output code block (i.e., <% %>), you can use the concat method.

#### Examples¶ ↑

    <%
        concat "hello"
        # is the equivalent of <%= "hello" %>

        if logged_in
          concat "Logged in!"
        else
          concat link_to('login', :action => login)
        end
        # will either display "Logged in!" or a login link
    %>

    # File lib/action_view/helpers/text_helper.rb, line 51
    def concat(string)
      output_buffer << string
    end

current_cycle(name = "default") click to toggle source

Returns the current cycle string after a cycle has been started. Useful for complex table highlighting or any other design need which requires the current cycle string in more than one place.

#### Example¶ ↑

    # Alternate background colors
    @items = [1,2,3,4]
    <% @items.each do |item| %>
      <div style="background-color:<%= cycle("red","white","blue") %>">
        <span style="background-color:<%= current_cycle %>"><%= item %></span>
      </div>
    <% end %>

    # File lib/action_view/helpers/text_helper.rb, line 345
    def current_cycle(name = "default")
      cycle = get_cycle(name)
      cycle.current_value if cycle
    end

cycle(first_value, *values) click to toggle source

Creates a Cycle object whose to_s method cycles through elements of an array every time it is called. This can be used for example, to alternate classes for table rows. You can use named cycles to allow nesting in loops. Passing a Hash as the last parameter with a `:name` key will create a named cycle. The default name for a cycle without a `:name` key is `"default"`. You can manually reset a cycle by calling #reset_cycle and passing the name of the cycle. The current cycle string can be obtained anytime using the #current_cycle method.

#### Examples¶ ↑

     # Alternate CSS classes for even and odd numbers...
     @items = [1,2,3,4]
     <table>
     <% @items.each do |item| %>
       <tr class="<%= cycle("odd", "even") -%>">
         <td>item</td>
       </tr>
     <% end %>
     </table>

     # Cycle CSS classes for rows, and text colors for values within each row
     @items = x = [{:first => 'Robert', :middle => 'Daniel', :last => 'James'},
                  {:first => 'Emily', :middle => 'Shannon', :maiden => 'Pike', :last => 'Hicks'},
                 {:first => 'June', :middle => 'Dae', :last => 'Jones'}]
     <% @items.each do |item| %>
       <tr class="<%= cycle("odd", "even", :name => "row_class") -%>">
         <td>
           <% item.values.each do |value| %>
             <%# Create a named cycle "colors" %>
             <span style="color:<%= cycle("red", "green", "blue", :name => "colors") -%>">
               <%= value %>
             </span>
           <% end %>
           <% reset_cycle("colors") %>
         </td>
      </tr>
    <% end %>

    # File lib/action_view/helpers/text_helper.rb, line 317
    def cycle(first_value, *values)
      if (values.last.instance_of? Hash)
        params = values.pop
        name = params[:name]
      else
        name = "default"
      end
      values.unshift(first_value)

      cycle = get_cycle(name)
      unless cycle && cycle.values == values
        cycle = set_cycle(name, Cycle.new(*values))
      end
      cycle.to_s
    end

excerpt(text, phrase, *args) click to toggle source

Extracts an excerpt from `text` that matches the first instance of `phrase`. The `:radius` option expands the excerpt on each side of the first occurrence of `phrase` by the number of characters defined in `:radius` (which defaults to 100). If the excerpt radius overflows the beginning or end of the `text`, then the `:omission` option (which defaults to “…”) will be prepended/appended accordingly. The resulting string will be stripped in any case. If the `phrase` isn’t found, nil is returned.

#### Examples¶ ↑

    excerpt('This is an example', 'an', :radius => 5)
    # => ...s is an exam...

    excerpt('This is an example', 'is', :radius => 5)
    # => This is a...

    excerpt('This is an example', 'is')
    # => This is an example

    excerpt('This next thing is an example', 'ex', :radius => 2)
    # => ...next...

    excerpt('This is also an example', 'an', :radius => 8, :omission => '<chop> ')
    # => <chop> is also an example

You can still use `excerpt` with the old API that accepts the `radius` as its optional third and the `ellipsis` as its optional forth parameter:

    excerpt('This is an example', 'an', 5)                   # => ...s is an exam...
    excerpt('This is also an example', 'an', 8, '<chop> ')   # => <chop> is also an example

    # File lib/action_view/helpers/text_helper.rb, line 157
    def excerpt(text, phrase, *args)
      return unless text && phrase

      options = args.extract_options!
      unless args.empty?
        ActiveSupport::Deprecation.warn "Calling excerpt with radius and omission as arguments is deprecated. "            "Please call with :radius => #{args[0]}#{", :omission => '#{args[1]}'" if args[1]} instead.", caller

        options[:radius] = args[0] || 100
        options[:omission] = args[1] || "..."
      end
      options.reverse_merge!(:radius => 100, :omission => "...")

      phrase = Regexp.escape(phrase)
      return unless found_pos = text.mb_chars =~ /(#{phrase})/i

      start_pos = [ found_pos - options[:radius], 0 ].max
      end_pos   = [ [ found_pos + phrase.mb_chars.length + options[:radius] - 1, 0].max, text.mb_chars.length ].min

      prefix  = start_pos > 0 ? options[:omission] : ""
      postfix = end_pos < text.mb_chars.length - 1 ? options[:omission] : ""

      prefix + text.mb_chars[start_pos..end_pos].strip + postfix
    end

highlight(text, phrases, *args) click to toggle source

Highlights one or more `phrases` everywhere in `text` by inserting it into a `:highlighter` string. The highlighter can be specialized by passing `:highlighter` as a single-quoted string with 1 where the phrase is to be inserted (defaults to ‘<strong class=“highlight”>1</strong>’)

#### Examples¶ ↑

    highlight('You searched for: rails', 'rails')
    # => You searched for: <strong class="highlight">rails</strong>

    highlight('You searched for: ruby, rails, dhh', 'actionpack')
    # => You searched for: ruby, rails, dhh

    highlight('You searched for: rails', ['for', 'rails'], :highlighter => '<em>\1</em>')
    # => You searched <em>for</em>: <em>rails</em>

    highlight('You searched for: rails', 'rails', :highlighter => '<a href="search?q=\1">\1</a>')
    # => You searched for: <a href="search?q=rails">rails</a>

You can still use `highlight` with the old API that accepts the `highlighter` as its optional third parameter:

    highlight('You searched for: rails', 'rails', '<a href="search?q=\1">\1</a>')     # => You searched for: <a href="search?q=rails">rails</a>

    # File lib/action_view/helpers/text_helper.rb, line 111
    def highlight(text, phrases, *args)
      options = args.extract_options!
      unless args.empty?
        ActiveSupport::Deprecation.warn "Calling highlight with a highlighter as an argument is deprecated. "            "Please call with :highlighter => '#{args[0]}' instead.", caller

        options[:highlighter] = args[0] || '<strong class="highlight">\1</strong>'
      end
      options.reverse_merge!(:highlighter => '<strong class="highlight">\1</strong>')

      text = sanitize(text) unless options[:sanitize] == false
      if text.blank? || phrases.blank?
        text
      else
        match = Array(phrases).map { |p| Regexp.escape(p) }.join('|')
        text.gsub(/(#{match})(?![^<]*?>)/i, options[:highlighter])
      end.html_safe
    end

pluralize(count, singular, plural = nil) click to toggle source

Attempts to pluralize the `singular` word unless `count` is 1. If `plural` is supplied, it will use that when count is > 1, otherwise it will use the Inflector to determine the plural form

#### Examples¶ ↑

    pluralize(1, 'person')
    # => 1 person

    pluralize(2, 'person')
    # => 2 people

    pluralize(3, 'person', 'users')
    # => 3 users

    pluralize(0, 'person')
    # => 0 people

    # File lib/action_view/helpers/text_helper.rb, line 198
    def pluralize(count, singular, plural = nil)
      "#{count || 0} " + ((count == 1 || count =~ /^1(\.0+)?$/) ? singular : (plural || singular.pluralize))
    end

reset_cycle(name = "default") click to toggle source

Resets a cycle so that it starts from the first element the next time it is called. Pass in `name` to reset a named cycle.

#### Example¶ ↑

    # Alternate CSS classes for even and odd numbers...
    @items = [[1,2,3,4], [5,6,3], [3,4,5,6,7,4]]
    <table>
    <% @items.each do |item| %>
      <tr class="<%= cycle("even", "odd") -%>">
          <% item.each do |value| %>
            <span style="color:<%= cycle("#333", "#666", "#999", :name => "colors") -%>">
              <%= value %>
            </span>
          <% end %>

          <% reset_cycle("colors") %>
      </tr>
    <% end %>
    </table>

    # File lib/action_view/helpers/text_helper.rb, line 369
    def reset_cycle(name = "default")
      cycle = get_cycle(name)
      cycle.reset if cycle
    end

safe_concat(string) click to toggle source

    # File lib/action_view/helpers/text_helper.rb, line 55
    def safe_concat(string)
      output_buffer.respond_to?(:safe_concat) ? output_buffer.safe_concat(string) : concat(string)
    end

simple_format(text, html_options={}, options={}) click to toggle source

Returns `text` transformed into HTML using simple formatting rules. Two or more consecutive newlines(`\n\n`) are considered as a paragraph and wrapped in `<p>` tags. One newline (`\n`) is considered as a linebreak and a `<br />` tag is appended. This method does not remove the newlines from the `text`.

You can pass any HTML attributes into `html_options`. These will be added to all created paragraphs.

#### Options¶ ↑

- `:sanitize` - If `false`, does not sanitize `text`.

#### Examples¶ ↑

    my_text = "Here is some basic text...\n...with a line break."

    simple_format(my_text)
    # => "<p>Here is some basic text...\n<br />...with a line break.</p>"

    more_text = "We want to put a paragraph...\n\n...right there."

    simple_format(more_text)
    # => "<p>We want to put a paragraph...</p>\n\n<p>...right there.</p>"

    simple_format("Look ma! A class!", :class => 'description')
    # => "<p class='description'>Look ma! A class!</p>"

    simple_format("<span>I'm allowed!</span> It's true.", {}, :sanitize => false)
    # => "<p><span>I'm allowed!</span> It's true.</p>"

    # File lib/action_view/helpers/text_helper.rb, line 266
    def simple_format(text, html_options={}, options={})
      text = '' if text.nil?
      text = text.dup
      start_tag = tag('p', html_options, true)
      text = sanitize(text) unless options[:sanitize] == false
      text = text.to_str
      text.gsub!(/\r\n?/, "\n")                    # \r\n and \r -> \n
      text.gsub!(/\n\n+/, "</p>\n\n#{start_tag}")  # 2+ newline  -> paragraph
      text.gsub!(/([^\n]\n)(?=[^\n])/, '\1<br />') # 1 newline   -> br
      text.insert 0, start_tag
      text.html_safe.safe_concat("</p>")
    end

truncate(text, options = {}) click to toggle source

Truncates a given `text` after a given `:length` if `text` is longer than `:length` (defaults to 30). The last characters will be replaced with the `:omission` (defaults to “…”) for a total length not exceeding `:length`.

Pass a `:separator` to truncate `text` at a natural break.

The result is not marked as HTML-safe, so will be subject to the default escaping when used in views, unless wrapped by `raw()`. Care should be taken if `text` contains HTML tags or entities, because truncation may produce invalid HTML (such as unbalanced or incomplete tags).

#### Examples¶ ↑

    truncate("Once upon a time in a world far far away")
    # => "Once upon a time in a world..."

    truncate("Once upon a time in a world far far away", :length => 17)
    # => "Once upon a ti..."

    truncate("Once upon a time in a world far far away", :length => 17, :separator => ' ')
    # => "Once upon a..."

    truncate("And they found that many people were sleeping better.", :length => 25, :omission => '... (continued)')
    # => "And they f... (continued)"

    truncate("<p>Once upon a time in a world far far away</p>")
    # => "<p>Once upon a time in a wo..."

    # File lib/action_view/helpers/text_helper.rb, line 85
    def truncate(text, options = {})
      options.reverse_merge!(:length => 30)
      text.truncate(options.delete(:length), options) if text
    end

word_wrap(text, *args) click to toggle source

Wraps the `text` into lines no longer than `line_width` width. This method breaks on the first whitespace character that does not exceed `line_width` (which is 80 by default).

#### Examples¶ ↑

    word_wrap('Once upon a time')
    # => Once upon a time

    word_wrap('Once upon a time, in a kingdom called Far Far Away, a king fell ill, and finding a successor to the throne turned out to be more trouble than anyone could have imagined...')
    # => Once upon a time, in a kingdom called Far Far Away, a king fell ill, and finding\n a successor to the throne turned out to be more trouble than anyone could have\n imagined...

    word_wrap('Once upon a time', :line_width => 8)
    # => Once upon\na time

    word_wrap('Once upon a time', :line_width => 1)
    # => Once\nupon\na\ntime

You can still use `word_wrap` with the old API that accepts the `line_width` as its optional second parameter:

    word_wrap('Once upon a time', 8)     # => Once upon\na time

    # File lib/action_view/helpers/text_helper.rb, line 223
    def word_wrap(text, *args)
      options = args.extract_options!
      unless args.blank?
        ActiveSupport::Deprecation.warn "Calling word_wrap with line_width as an argument is deprecated. "            "Please call with :line_width => #{args[0]} instead.", caller

        options[:line_width] = args[0] || 80
      end
      options.reverse_merge!(:line_width => 80)

      text.split("\n").collect do |line|
        line.length > options[:line_width] ? line.gsub(/(.{1,#{options[:line_width]}})(\s+|$)/, "\\1\n").strip : line
      end * "\n"
    end