ruby script/plugin install http://sbecker.net/shared/plugins/asset_packager/

Run the rake task to generate the /config/asset_packages.yml file the first time. You will need to reorder files under 'base' so dependencies are loaded in correct order. Feel free to rename or create new file packages.

asset:packager:create_yml

IMPORTANT: JavaScript files can break once compressed if each statement doesn't end with a semi-colon. The minifier puts multiple statements on one line, so if the semi-colon is missing, the statement may no longer makes sense and cause a syntax error.

Example from a fresh rails app after running the rake task. (Stylesheets is blank because a default rails app has no stylesheets yet.):

javascripts: 
- base: 
  - prototype
  - effects
  - dragdrop
  - controls
  - application
stylesheets: 
- base: []

Example with multiple merged files:

javascripts:
- base:
  - prototype
  - effects
  - controls
  - dragdrop
  - application
- secondary:
  - foo
  - bar
stylesheets:
- base:
  - screen
  - header
- secondary:
  - foo
  - bar

Run the rake task to generate the compressed, merged versions for each package.

asset:packager:build_all

Whenever you rearrange the yaml file, you'll need to run this task again. Merging and compressing is expensive, so this is something we want to do once, not every time your app starts. Thats why its a rake task.

Use the helper functions whenever including these files in your application. See below for examples.

Potential warning: css compressor function currently removes CSS comments. This might blow away some CSS hackery. To disable comment removal, comment out /lib/synthesis/asset_package.rb line 176.

== JavaScript Examples

Example call:

<%= javascript_include_merged 'prototype', 'effects', 'controls', 'dragdrop', 'application', 'foo', 'bar' %>

In development, this generates:

  script type="text/javascript" src="/javascripts/prototype.js"
  script type="text/javascript" src="/javascripts/effects.js"
  script type="text/javascript" src="/javascripts/controls.js"
  script type="text/javascript" src="/javascripts/dragdrop.js"
  script type="text/javascript" src="/javascripts/application.js"
  script type="text/javascript" src="/javascripts/foo.js"
  script type="text/javascript" src="/javascripts/bar.js"

In production, this generates:

  script type="text/javascript" src="/javascripts/base_1150571523.js"/>
  script type="text/javascript" src="/javascripts/secondary_1150729166.js"/>

Now supports symbols and :defaults as well:

  <%= javascript_include_merged :defaults %>
  <%= javascript_include_merged :foo, :bar %>

== Stylesheet Examples

Example call:

<%= stylesheet_link_merged 'screen', 'header' %>

In development, this generates:

  link href="/stylesheets/screen.css" media="screen" rel="Stylesheet" type="text/css" 
  link href="/stylesheets/header.css" media="screen" rel="Stylesheet" type="text/css" 

In production this generates:

  link href="/stylesheets/base_1150729166.css" media="screen" rel="Stylesheet" type="text/css" 

There is currently no advanced documentation for this plugin.