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 left...

  • 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

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