link_to_function and button_to_function

If you need to refresh a part of a page in rails, sometimes we
use link_to_remote  (for replacing a partial file ), which is
a remote link and when clicking on that link, it will call a
AJAX method on controller and there we will replace the
partial file. This is not the only solution for doing this,
we can even do these kind of things without going to the
controller methods (if no DB part is involved)

link_to_remote & button_to_remote

Just put this code on your view file

1. For just displaying an alert message

button_to_function "Greeting", "alert('Hello world!')"
(OR)
link_to_function "Greeting", "alert('Hello world!')"

2. if u have to call a JS function after confirm box

button_to_function "Delete", "if (confirm('Really?'))
do_delete()"
(OR)
link_to_function "Delete", "if (confirm('Really?'))
do_delete()"

3. For making visual effects, replacing partial,
showing or hiding an html id element etc..,
 button_to_function "Details" do |page|
 page[:details].visual_effect :toggle_slide
 page[:details].replace_html "partial_file_name"    
 page[:details].show
 page[:details].hide
 end

(OR)

 link_to_function "Details" do |page|
 page[:details].visual_effect :toggle_slide
 page[:details].replace_html "partial_file_name"    
 page[:details].show
 page[:details].hide
 end

Note : Here 'details' is the div (0r) any html id element.
"Details" is the link (or) button that is to be displayed
on your view file. 

4. We can also apply the class for the button. 

button_to_function "Details", :class => "details_button"
do |page|
   page[:details].visual_effect :toggle_slide
end