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**Category:** Rails\
**Created:** [October 19, 2009, 3:26pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/html-table-visual-effect/177513 "2009-10-19T15:26:26Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1
**Author:**  [@michbukana](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/michbukana)\
**Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 3:26pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/html-table-visual-effect/177513/1 "2009-10-19T15:26:26Z")
Hello,
I have an HTML table with several rows. I want to change the row color
when the user clicks it. This is quite simple to do with plain
javascript, but I want to use rails. Is there any helper or something
that performs this task for me?
Thanks for your time.
---
**Author:**  [@michbukana](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/michbukana)\
**Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 4:47pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/html-table-visual-effect/177513/2 "2009-10-19T16:47:21Z")
On Mon, Oct 19, 2009 at 6:26 AM, Eduardo B.
[removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote:
> I have an HTML table with several rows. I want to change the row color
> when the user clicks it. This is quite simple to do with plain
> javascript, but I want to use rails.
You realize this is a client-side interaction, which means Javascript
no matter how it’s packaged? 🙂
–
Hassan S. ------------------------ removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid
twitter: @hassan
---
**Author:**  [@michbukana](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/michbukana)\
**Post date:** [October 20, 2009, 1:09pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/html-table-visual-effect/177513/3 "2009-10-20T13:09:49Z")
Hassan S. wrote:
> On Mon, Oct 19, 2009 at 6:26 AM, Eduardo B.
> [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote:
>
> You realize this is a client-side interaction, which means Javascript
> no matter how it’s packaged? 🙂
>
> –
> Hassan S. ------------------------ removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid
> twitter: @hassan
Yes, but like server-side code, javascript must be propper coded, and
explicit onclick event declaration is wrong.
---
**Author:**  [@michbukana](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/michbukana)\
**Post date:** [November 4, 2009, 7:03pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/html-table-visual-effect/177513/4 "2009-11-04T19:03:14Z")
On Oct 19, 5:26 am, Eduardo B. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid)
wrote:
> I have an HTMLtablewith several rows. I want to change therowcolor
> when the user clicks it. This is quite simple to do with plain
> javascript, but I want to use rails. Is there any helper or something
> that performs this task for me?
You might try leveraging the scriptaculous visual effects library for
this:
[http://wiki.github.com/madrobby/scriptaculous/effects](http://wiki.github.com/madrobby/scriptaculous/effects)
---
**Author:**  [@michbukana](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/michbukana)\
**Post date:** [October 20, 2009, 2:24pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/html-table-visual-effect/177513/5 "2009-10-20T14:24:03Z")
On 20 Oct 2009, at 13:09, Eduardo B. wrote:
> > You realize this is a client-side interaction, which means Javascript
> > no matter how it’s packaged? 🙂
>
> Yes, but like server-side code, javascript must be propper coded, and
> explicit onclick event declaration is wrong.
It’s not wrong, it just looks ugly and can be very verbose if you put
it on every single row, so a more generic approach is preferrable to
say the least.
You have a couple of options:
- Either go completely event delegated, mixing in a library
specifically designed for this like NWEvents can greatly benefit your
application, we use it for everything in our apps and has greatly
improved performance, works seamlessly even when replacing or adding
new parts to the page that have to exhibit similar behavior and
reduced code clutter. It’s a bit like jQuery’s live function, and it
supports non bubbling events too, like focus and blur on form elements
and form submission
- Or you can put the click event observer on the table itself. If you
add new tables that need highlighting via ajax, you’ll have to attach
a new observer to that one too, as well as clean up observers before
destroying elements on the page.
In both cases, inspect the event.target (what element was actually
clicked), then go .up(‘tr’) and put the highlight class on the row. If
that needs to be saved in the model, just fire an Ajax.Request from
your javascript highlight method.
The simple fact of the matter is that you’ll have to write custom
javascript and not rely on Rails’ built-in helpers to get a performant
and clean solution.
Best regards
Peter De Berdt