jQuery Autobars

A convenient jquery plugin for loading handlebars templates declared in script tags!

Usage

jQuery-autobars's sweet spot is cases where you want to have your handlebars templates in their own file/files.

This plugin makes the distinction between partials files (which can hold multiple handlebars templates) and full templates which are one per file.

Handlebar templates are loaded into $.handlebarTemplates["compiled template"] or if your template does not have spaces in the name $.handlebarTemplates.compiled_template by way of the the script tag type attribute.

	<script src="/main.hbs" type="text/x-handlebars-template"></script>

Autobars looks at the src and downloads the code as needed, compiles it into a handlebars template and adds the method to the $.handlebarTemplates namespace where you can use it in your projects!!

A partials file can contain one or several handlebar template source files. Just wrap the html like so

	<!--#?index-->
	  handlebars code goes here
	<!--#?end-->

Handlebars helper knows its a a partials file via a script tag with type

	<script src="/helper-templates.hbs" type="text/x-handlebars-partial"></script>

In this case the type="text/x-handlebars-partial" marks the file for additional parsing.

The name after the ? in the top indicates the name the partial will have. Partials are registered using Handlebars and are accessed slightly differently. Partials can be accessed from Handlebars templates using the following syntax

	<div>
	<h1>Demonstration of partials</h1>
	
	<!-- Loading partial -->
	{{> index}}
	
	</div>

jQuery autobars can be used to replace existing $(document).ready() calls to guarantee that all your templates are loaded, or you can call it later as necessary. You can also load templates from document fragments as needed!

	$(document).autoBars(callback: function() {
		/* you pass a callback in to perform work on the templates
		becasuse handlebar helper is making multiple aynchrous requests
		and it makes sure to not call this callback till all the necessary files
		are loaded into the $.handlebarsTemplates namespace.
		*/
        console.log('it worked!!')
        var $html = $.handlebarTemplates.main({
            message: "hello welcome to handlebar helper!!",
        });
        $('body').append($html);
      });

Example of using a document fragment

var fragment = "
<script src="/lazyLoaded.hbs" type="text/x-handlebars-template"></script>
	"
var callback_function = function() {
  var $html = $.handlebarTemplates.lazyLoaded({
    message: "I was loaded from a document fragment!",
  });
  $('body').append($html);
}
$(fragment).autoBars({
  callback: callback_function
});

Check the example.html for a complete running preview of what jQuery autobars can do

Loading the handlebars templates from a list

If you don't like to set the script tags directly in your DOM you just have to specify a list of templates to be loaded for instance:

var template_list = [
  'templates/test1.hbs',
  'templates/test2.hbs',
  'templates/test3.hbs',
  'templates/test4.hbs',
  'templates/test5.hbs'
]

var partial_list = [
  'templates/partial1.hbs'
]

$(document).autoBars({
  main_template_from_list: template_list,
  partial_template_from_list: partial_list
});

NOTE: if the partial or main templates_from_list options are set the script tags in the DOM will be ingnored and will be loaded using the template list instead If you want to see an example check the example2.html file

Chaining methods to the jQuery autobars deferred object

When dealing with different JS modules you might want to chain your methods (that depend on the handlebars template) to the deferred object of jQuery autobars. This way you don't have to wrap your methods in $(document).autoBars() to ensure loaded templates which causes multiple asynchronous call for the templates. Instead chain your methods to the jQuery autobars deferred object $.handlebarTemplates.deferred

Example of chaining methods to the deferred object of jQuery autobars

var chain() {
 // your method that depend on handlebars template loaded by autobars
}

//This way ensure your methods are called after jQuery autobars have loaded your templates.
$.handlebarTemplates.deferred = $.handlebarTemplates.deferred.then(chain, chain);

Defaults plugin configuration

$.fn.autoBars.defaults = {
  callback: $.noop,
  partial_template_from_list: [],
  main_template_from_list: []
};