# Using the ActionView::Helpers::FormTagHelper and ActionView:

**URL:** <https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/using-the-actionview-formtaghelper-and-actionview/103227>\
**Category:** Rails\
**Created:** [May 3, 2007, 4:53am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/using-the-actionview-formtaghelper-and-actionview/103227 "2007-05-03T04:53:44Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![mrnice](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@mrnice](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/mrnice)\
**Post date:** [May 3, 2007, 4:53am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/using-the-actionview-formtaghelper-and-actionview/103227/1 "2007-05-03T04:53:44Z")

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Hi,

I have a utility class (in the lib/media\_set/media.rb file in my ruby  
application) and in there, I would like to access the  
ActionView::Helpers::FormTagHelper.select\_tag and  
ActionView::Helpers::FormOptionsHelper.options\_for\_select to create a  
select tag. However, in the view files, I can just refer to  
select\_tag(…) or options\_for\_select(…) and obviously rails “know”  
that these are instance methods on some instance of the FormTagHelp  
and FormOptionsHelper classes. I have two questions:

1. how can I use the select\_tag and options\_for\_select methods in my  
utility class? Can I use the same instance as would have been used in  
the view?
2. how does Rails make accessible or associate select\_tag and  
options\_for\_select with an existing instance of these classes in the  
view file?

Much appreciated.