@Adam – I love your suggestions on this. I do the same thing and it seems to work great!

    def link_away(name, options = {}, html_options = nil)
      if (options.is_a?(String)) 
        options = ApplicationHelper.append_url_parameters(options, {:returnuri => url_for(:onlypath => true)})
      else
        options = { :return_uri => urlfor(:only_path => true) }.update(options.symbolizekeys)
      end
      link_to(name, options, htmloptions)
    end

To append a param to the URL I use this (forgive me if there’s already a function to do this which I can’t find)

def self.append_url_parameters(url, urlparams) 
  new_params_query_string = ''
  first = true
  urlparams.each_pair do |param, value|
    new_params_query_string << '&`' unless first
    new_params_query_string << "#{param}=#{CGI.escape(value.to_s)}"
    first = false
  end
  uri, query = url.split('?')
  if (query.blank?) 
    uri + "?" + new_params_query_string
  else   
    uri + "?" + query + "&" + new_params_query_string
  end    
end

before_filter :mark_return_point  nly =>[x,z]

Which does exactly the same thing and marks a return parameter in the session, we just have a

return_to_last_point 

then whenever an action like an update completes redirects to the last point someone went through.

Not sure which I prefer, our current way keeps the logic of the flow inside the controller

<%= link_away h(person.display_name), person %>

(person also gets passed for generated delete links.)

Not really sure what the answer is, except to only use link_away for edit links.

<%= link_away 'Edit', edit_person_path(@person) %>

Will fail with the error “undefined method `symbolize_keys’ for “/people/1/edit”:String”

def link_away(name, options = {}, html_options = nil)
    link = case options
        when String
            link_to(name, options + "?return_uri=" + url_for(:only_path => true), html_options)
        else
            link_to(name, { :return_uri => url_for(:only_path => true) }.update(options.symbolize_keys), html_options)
        end
end

But that’s fairly unsatisfying, if for no reason than it will add an extra “?” to the URL if there are already parameters in it. (My Ruby-fu is weak.)

Thanks for sharing!