Rails navigation helpers

application_controller.rb

module ApplicationHelper
  def navigation(collection)
    content_tag :ul do
      build_navigation_items(collection)
    end
  end
  
  def build_navigation_items(collection)
    content = ""
    collection.each do |item|
      content << navigation_item(item)        
    end
    content.html_safe
  end
  
  def navigation_item(*args)
    options = args.extract_options!
    options[:name] = args.first if args.first.is_a?(Symbol) 
    content_tag :li, link_to(navigation_item_name(options), navigation_item_path(options)), :class => assign_current_class(options)
  end

  def navigation_item_name(options = {})
    options[:name].to_s.capitalize
  end
  
  def navigation_item_path(options = {})
    if(options[:path])
      options[:path]
    else
      send(options[:name].to_s + '_path')
    end
  end
  
  def assign_current_class(options = {})
    if(options[:match])
      current_controller_path?(options[:match]) && 'current' || nil 
    else
      current_page?(options[:path]) && 'current' || nil 
    end
  end
  
  def current_controller_path?(regex)
    controller.controller_path =~ regex
  end
end

view.html.erb

<%= navigation([
  {:home => {:path => root_path}}, 
  :about, 
  {:places => {:path => places_path, :match => /places/}}]) %>