Feedback is a Ruby on Rails plugin that adds an ajax-based overlay feedback form triggered by a side-screen tab or a link. The result of the feedback form is sent through a ActionMailer.
The plugin was inspired from the "feedback" widget of GetSatisfaction.com and UserVoice.com.
The plugin uses a generator to generate boiler-plate Javascript, CSS, HTML, and ruby code into your application. It sets up a ready to use feedback form (with minimal styling) that you can further customize.
- Helper to display a sticky "feedback" tab.
- Display feedback form as an overlay with Ajax.
- Sends feedback result by email through an ActionMailer.
- Uses a generator such that you can customize the code and style to fit your app.
- Generates unit and functional tests.
- Works with Prototype and JQuery, choose through a generators flag.
- Currently supports IE6, IE7, IE8, FF2, FF3, Chrome2 and SafariX
Collecting feedback from users is really important. Third-party services such as GetSatisfaction.com and UserVoice.com are awesome tools to manage your feedback. However, we found out that in many instances such as for small sites or back-ends, we wanted a similar feedback form integration/experience but simpler, local, and customized.
Install the plugin:
ruby script/plugin install git://github.com/jsboulanger/feedback.git
Run the generator:
ruby script/generate feedback_form
By default it will generate the Prototype code, you can use jQuery if you prefer:
ruby script/generate feedback_form --jquery
Include the feedback.css and the jquery.feedback.js/prototype.feedback.js files into your header. There is a helper to do that:
<%= feedback_includes %>
Install the generator:
git clone git://github.com/dohkoos/feedback.git
cp feedback/lib/generators/feedback_form [YOUR_PROJECT_NAME]/lib/generators
Run the generator:
rails generate feedback_form
By default it will generate the jQuery code, you can use Prototype if you prefer:
rails generate feedback_form --skip-jquery
To add a sticky 'feedback' tab to your site, in the header place:
<%= feedback_tab(:position => 'top') %>
Configure the action mailer in app/models/feedback_mailer.rb
def feedback(feedback)
@recipients = 'you@yoursite.com'
@from = 'system@yoursite.com'
@subject = "[Feedback for YourSite.com] #{feedback.subject}"
...
The feedback_tab helper takes the option "position" which has four different values (top|bottom|left|right) that corresponds to class in the feedback.css file. You can fine tune the position by changing the left/right, top/bottom attributes of those css classes.
The feedback_link(text, options={}) helper allows you the create a link that will trigger the feedback form.
<%= feedback_link "Leave us feedback!" %>
Your layout header must also have the includes:
<%= feedback_includes %>
Edit the /app/views/feedback_mailer/feedback.html.erb generated file in your app
Feedback generates a model that is not an active record model. In order to store the feedbacks in your database, make it an active record model:
class Feedback < ActiveRecord::Base
attr_accessible :comment, :email, :subject, :page
validates :subject, :presence => true
validates :comment, :presence => true
end
You must also write a migration to create your table:
class CreateFeedbacks < ActiveRecord::Migration
def self.up
create_table :feedbacks do |t|
t.string :subject
t.string :email
t.text :comment
t.timestamps
end
end
def self.down
drop_table :feedbacks
end
end
- No unit tests for Javascript
- Feedback PNG with transparency supported by IE6
- Graceful fallback if Javascript is not enabled/supported
- More customization options through helpers: (overlay style, tab color, etc...)
Thanks to GetSatisfaction.com for the idea of the "feedback" tab.
Part of this plugin was inspired from other software. Thanks to their respective authors.
- Facebox: http://famspam.com/facebox
- restful_authentication: http://github.com/technoweenie/restful-authentication/tree/master
Copyright (c) 2009 Jean-Sebastien Boulanger jsboulanger@gmail.com, released under the MIT license