Event.find(
  :all,
  :conditions => [ "title like :search or description like :search",
                   {:search => "%Tiki%"}]
)

# terminal
script/server -u

# /some/view.erb
<% debugger %>

# open the url associated with that view, and switch over to the terminal to play with ActionController methods and objects
(rdb:2) request

Person.count(:conditions => "age > 26")

class Sector < ActiveRecord::Base
  set_table_name "Sector"
  set_primary_key "SectorID"
end

#put in application_helper.rb :

def section_link(name,options)
    if options[:action] == @current_action and options[:controller] == @current_controller
       link_to(name, options, :class => 'on')
    else
      link_to(name,options)
    end
end

#initialize vars in controller
before_filter :instantiate_controller_and_action_names

def instantiate_controller_and_action_names
      @current_action = action_name
      @current_controller = controller_name
end 

#usage in view:
<%=section_link('Home',:controller => 'articles', :action => 'index')%>

//ajax function-------------------------------------

function ajax_will_paginate(s){
  $.ajax({
  type: "POST",
  url: "index/blog_paginate?page="+s,
  success: function(msg){
    $("div.blog[style='display: block;']").html(msg);
    replace_paginate_links();
  }
  });
}

// replace links function---------------------------

function replace_paginate_links(){
  $('div.pagination a').each(function(){
  var new_attr = "ajax_will_paginate"
  var get_href_a = $(this).attr('href').split('=');
  var get_href = get_href_a[get_href_a.length-1]

  $(this).attr('href',"#")
  $(this).attr('onclick',"ajax_will_paginate('"+get_href+"'); return false;")
})
}

$(document).ready(function(){
  replace_paginate_links()
})

<% for category in Category.find(:all) %>
  <%= check_box_tag "post[category_ids][]", category.id, @post.categories.include?(category) %>
  <%= category.name %><br />
<% end %>

<% category_count = @post.categories.length %><% count = 1 %>
<% @post.categories.each do |cat| %>
  <%= link_to cat.name, cat %><%= ", " unless category_count == count %><% count += 1 %>
<% end %>

def name_copy(model)
    '<script type="text/javascript" charset="utf-8">
      var n = $("input#' + model + '_name");
      var t = $("input#' + model + '_title");
      var st = $("input#' + model + '_seo_title");
      var su = $("input#' + model + '_seo_url");
      
      n.blur(function(){
        if(t.val()==0){
          t.val(n.val());
        };
        
        if(st.val()==0){
          st.val(n.val());
        };
        
        if(su.val()==0){
          su.val(n.val());
        };
      });
    </script>'
  end

def top_menu_li(label,controller,url)
    @current_page = request.request_uri
    @current_controller = request.path_parameters['controller']
    if @current_page == url || @current_controller == controller
      '<li class="current"><a href="' + url + '" title="' + label + '">' + label + '</a></li>'
    else
      '<li><a href="' + url + '" title="' + label + '">' + label + '</a></li>'  
    end
  end