How to specify multiple layouts within the same controller in Ruby on Rails

Posted on 03 October 2006

Using more than one layout in a controller is as simple as placing the following code in your controller:

layout :choose_layout

private
def choose_layout    
  if [ 'signup', 'login' ].include? action_name
    'login'
  else
    'admin'
  end
end

When Rails goes to select the layout it wont find one named "choose_layout", so it will look for an action with that name instead.

The action checks if the Rails variable action_name (which contains the name of the current action) matches either 'signup' or 'login'. If this is true then the 'login' layout is rendered otherwise 'admin' is.

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Comments...

• schweet!
  

  sal at 14 Jun 07 at 22:50

• This is great. I tried many different ways to accomplish it and never could get it to work. Glad I found this or I will still be forced to use a single layout.

  Joe at 05 Nov 07 at 04:39

• Thanks a bunch - that's really cool!

  Mike at 14 Nov 07 at 00:47

• Absolutely spot on! Exactly what I needed for a current project. Thanks!

  Jon Sidnell at 01 Dec 07 at 09:47

• This approach looks superior to what I found in the Rails docs, which was to use:
  bq. layout :default_layout
  def some_action
  render :action => "some_action", :layout => "different_layout"
  end

  Mike Tunnicliffe at 09 Dec 07 at 19:31

• Just wanted to say thanks... this is a handy snippet!

  Dan Sweeney at 05 Apr 08 at 14:10

• Holy crap! You're a genius! Awesome man.

  Michael Madison at 12 May 08 at 02:24

• nice post!
  and thanks Mike Tunnicliffe, your additional bit was very helpful
  :)

  barron logan at 01 Dec 08 at 10:51

• spankingly good

  todd at 31 Dec 08 at 01:43

• Very useful

  AntonioX at 21 Jul 09 at 14:25

• Perfect. Works like a charm. Thanks a bunch. The internet is such a great reference manual with posts like this.

  MikeL at 23 Jul 09 at 08:35

• Thanks for taking the time to post this. Simple, efficient and works.

  Jim Kath at 22 Sep 09 at 16:32