# Is there a Rails portlet like plugin/framework? (i.e. just basic to allow users to move windows arou **URL:** \ **Category:** Rails\ **Created:** [June 9, 2008, 12:52pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/is-there-a-rails-portlet-like-plugin-framework-i-e-just-basic-to-allow-users-to-move-windows-arou/139942 "2008-06-09T12:52:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![greg](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/g/71c47a/32.png) [@greg](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/greg)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2008, 12:52pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/is-there-a-rails-portlet-like-plugin-framework-i-e-just-basic-to-allow-users-to-move-windows-arou/139942/1 "2008-06-09T12:52:28Z")
Hi, Just wondering if there is a Rails Plugin/GEM/Framework to aid in letting users move around (adjust) where the main page windows are. Perhaps maximize and minimize. I guess this pretty much sounds like a portlet, however I’m not asking the Rails true portlet integration question here, but rather if there is something in the Rails world that just satisfies the basics of a portlet type experience for a user. Eg. even something as simple as 4 window panes on a page and the ability for a user to maximize one of them, then drop back to a view with the 4 panes on the screen (e.g. image 4 reports on a dashboard, and the user just wants to zoom into one, or rearrange the layout of the 4 panes). Thanks ---
**Author:** ![greg](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/g/71c47a/32.png) [@greg](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/greg)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2008, 10:01pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/is-there-a-rails-portlet-like-plugin-framework-i-e-just-basic-to-allow-users-to-move-windows-arou/139942/2 "2008-06-09T22:01:39Z")
Many people are doing this sort of thing with the Ext framework ([www.extjs.com](http://www.extjs.com)). Even though it’s a javascript framework, Rails integration is pretty easy with Rails’ to\_json method. You may want to try the Portal demo at [http://extjs.com/deploy/dev/examples/portal/portal.html](http://extjs.com/deploy/dev/examples/portal/portal.html) – Mark. ---
**Author:** ![greg](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/g/71c47a/32.png) [@greg](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/greg)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2008, 11:39pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/is-there-a-rails-portlet-like-plugin-framework-i-e-just-basic-to-allow-users-to-move-windows-arou/139942/3 "2008-06-09T23:39:50Z")
that is very cool Mark - do you know off hand how much ramp up it would take to use it just in a page or two for layout like in the example? Is it a couple of hours, days, weeks? Know offhand if there are any limitation to what you put in the portlets? (I’ve got some [http://www.fusioncharts.com/for](http://www.fusioncharts.com/for) example, flash based charts) ---
**Author:** ![greg](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/g/71c47a/32.png) [@greg](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/greg)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2008, 7:52pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/is-there-a-rails-portlet-like-plugin-framework-i-e-just-basic-to-allow-users-to-move-windows-arou/139942/4 "2008-06-10T19:52:29Z")
> that is very cool Mark - do you know off hand how much ramp up it would take > to use it just in a page or two for layout like in the example? Is it a > couple of hours, days, weeks? Know offhand if there are any limitation to > what you put in the portlets? I don’t really know, because I haven’t used it yet. I was keeping it in mind for a project that I hope to find time for. I suspect that you can render any Rails partial in the portlets. How long it takes probably depends on your level of JS / RJS knowledge. Ext looks like it has a pretty thoroughly documented API, so I would think hours if you know your stuff. I haven’t seen a lot of Rails/Ext examples yet, but some people are doing amazing things. I just found sExt yesterday: [http://www.telaeris.com/sext/](http://www.telaeris.com/sext/) and it looks great.