backbone-router

a simple implied router based on backbone

why

because i shouldn't have to define routes

because if i want to intercept routes then i should be able to define global and route based before and after hooks that can call one or more functions to handle the route...but only if necessary

history

this router was created around May 2012 for EtherPOS, a multi-store retail point of sale system built on meteor, back in

at that time there reallly weren't any routers for Meteor

so it is very minimalistic, but it gets the job done

usage

requirements

you must have a home template

by default the router routes / to the home template

building routes

the router will attempt to route all requests to a template by name

if the template cannot be found it will route to the Meteor.request.notFound

if you do not set the Meteor.request.notFound by call BackboneRouter.notFound(templatename) then it will route to the packages internal BackboneRouterDefault404.html not found

The route expression is limited to the following.

/controller/action(/id)(?queryString)

controller

is the name of the route and will automatically render a template of that name. Just create templates and the router will automatically render them. It is available as Meteor.request.controller, a Session var and through a reactive and non-reactive template helper.

action

is the action and will render a template of name_action. Just create templates of name_action and the router will automatically render them. It is available as Meteor.request.action, a Session var and through a reactive and non-reactive template helper.

id

is optional and is available as a parameter on the request controller and as a session variable along witih a reactive and non-reactive template helper. It is available as Meteor.reqeust.id, a Session var and through a reactive and non-reactive template helper.

queryString

is optional and is available as a parameter on the request controller and as a session variable along witih a reactive and non-reactive template helper. It is available as Meteor.request.queryString, a Session var and through a reactive and non-reactive template helper.

Addtionally, you can get the queryString parameters from Meteor.request.params and through a reactive and non-reactive template helper.

rendering your routes

Put this in your body somewhere and render whatever template is in the /controller or /controller/action. See above if you do not understand.

{{> content}} 

You should put the content helper function in it's own template so that it doesn't cause re-rendering of other templates.

For example...

<template name="home">
  {{> navbars}}
  {{> container}}
  {{> footer}}
</template>

<template name="container">
  <div class="container-fluid clearfix">
    {{> content}}
  </div>
</template>

Meteor.request object

{
  controller: "items", 
  action: "update", 
  id: "a3432dafs",
  route: "items_update", //controller_action
  queryString: {
    name1: "value1"
  },  
}

Template helpers

Session variables

Do not set them. Use helpers to get them or write your own.

Session.get('route')

Session.get('routeController');

Session.get('routeAction');

Session.get('routeId');

Session.get('routeQueryString');

Routing the client

Meteor.navigate('/dashboard')

local testing linking

• cd to your project
• mkdir packages
• ln -s /path/to/my:package packages/my:package
  • ln -s ~/projects/meteor-packages/steeve:backbone-router packages/steeve:backbone-router
• meteor add steeve:backbone-router