Rendering layouts/views from plugins

I am wondering if there is an easy way to render layouts and views
from the plugin directory, as well as javascript and css ?

I know I could have a rake task copy them from the plugins to where
they would normally go, but they may change from time to time within
the application and then need to go back into the plugin. If I cause
them to function as a plugin, then as I develop my app, the plugin
changes as well. This is just a plugin that I use for myself only and
would not get used alot except shared between a few apps, though if I
updated it, I would update it in one app and then copy the changes to
the other apps by copying that plugin from one app to another.

The other possibility is I could have a rake task copy them from the
app back into the plugin dir, but that seems sort of strange.

I’m not sure if there are some better approaches …

You should get the answers to most of your questions here:
http://rails-engines.org/news/2009/05/18/engines-at-railsconf/

  • James