aseemk/app.js

## app.js
var express = require('express');
var app = express.createServer();

app.configure(function () {
    app.use(require('./blocks')(app));
    app.use(app.router);
});

app.set('views', __dirname);
app.set('view engine', 'html');
app.register('.html', require('ejs'));

app.get('/', function (req, res) {
    res.render('test', { foo: 'bar' });
});

app.listen(8080);
console.log('listening on port 8080...');

## blocks.js
var debug = require('util').debug;

// helper prototype for rendering block scripts, stylesheet links, etc
var blocktag = {
    toString: function() {
        var tag = this.tag,
            html = '<'+tag,
            that = this;

        Object.getOwnPropertyNames(this).forEach(function(prop) {
            if (prop !== 'tag') {
                html += ' '+prop+'="'+that[prop]+'"';
            }
        });

        if (tag === 'script') {
            html += '></script>';
        } else {
            html += ' />';
        }

        return html;
    }
}

module.exports = function(app) {
    return function(req, res, next) {
        // request-local hash of named blocks
        var blocks = {};

        // dynamic helper for defining/rendering blocks
        function block(name) {
            var block, html;

            if (arguments.length === 0) return next(new Error('unnamed block'));
            block = blocks[name];

            if (arguments.length === 1) {
                // render block contents
                html = '';
                if (block) {
                    block.forEach(function(item) {
                        html = String(item) + html;
                    });
                }
                debug('block: '+name+': '+JSON.stringify(block));
                debug('html: '+html);
                return html;
            } else {
                // define/append block contents
                if (! block) block = blocks[name] = [];
                block.push(Array.prototype.slice.call(arguments, 1));
                debug('block: '+name+': '+JSON.stringify(block));
                return '';
            }
        };

        // utility method for adding a script to a block
        block.script = function(src) {
            return Object.create(blocktag, {
                src : { enumerable: true, value: src },
                tag : { enumerable: true, value: 'script' },
                type: { enumerable: true, value:  'text/javascript' }
            });
        };

        // utility method for adding a stylesheet to a block
        block.stylesheet = function(href, media) {
            var tag = Object.create(blocktag, {
                href: { enumerable: true, value: href },
                tag : { enumerable: true, value: 'link' },
                type: { enumerable: true, value: 'text/css' },
                rel : { enumerable: true, value: 'stylesheet' }
            });
            if (media) {
                tag.media = media;
            }
            return tag;
        };

        debug('add helpers');
        // res.local('block', block);
        // req.app.dynamicHelpers(block);
        // req.app.helpers(block);
        app.helpers({block:block});
        next();
    };
};

## layout_main.html
<!-- use blocks.js to inject content into *parent* layout -->
<!-- use new layout() helper to select parent layout -->

<% layout('layout_site') %>
<% block('head', block.stylesheet('layout.css')) %>
<% block('foot', block.script('layout.js')) %>

<h1>Main Layout</h1>
<p>
    This is the main page layout.
    It is wrapped by the <t>layout_site</t> layout.
    It adds the following blocks to the layout:
</p>
<ul><li>A layout.css stylesheet in the document head</li>
    <li>A layout.js script at the document foot</li>
</ul>

<%- body %>

## layout_site.html
<!doctype html>
<head>
    <meta charset=utf-8>
    <title>Nested Layouts with Blocks Demo</title>
    <!-- pull in the 'head' block content defined by our child layouts/pages -->
    <%- block('head') %>
</head>
<body>
    <h1>Site Layout</h1>
    <p>
        This is the master site layout.
        It is not wrapped by a layout.
        It includes the following dynamic blocks:
    </p>
    <ul><li><t>head</t>: a block whose content is rendered in the HTML 'head' section</li>
        <li><t>foot</t>: a block whose content is rendered just before the closing 'body' tag</li>
    </ul>

    <%- body %>

    <!-- pull in the 'foot' block content defined by our child layouts/pages -->
    <%- block('foot') %>
</body>
</html>

## test.html
<!-- use blocks.js to inject content into layout -->
<!-- use new layout() helper to get nested layouts -->

<% layout('layout_main') %>
<% block('head', block.stylesheet('page.css')) %>
<% block('foot', block.script('page.js')) %>

<h2>Index Page</h2>
<p>
    This is the main page content.
    It is wrapped by the <t>layout_main</t> layout.
    It adds the following blocks to the layout:
</p>
<ul><li>A page.css stylesheet in the document head</li>
    <li>A page.js script at the document foot</li>
</ul>
	var express = require('express');
	var app = express.createServer();

	app.configure(function () {
	app.use(require('./blocks')(app));
	app.use(app.router);
	});

	app.set('views', __dirname);
	app.set('view engine', 'html');
	app.register('.html', require('ejs'));

	app.get('/', function (req, res) {
	res.render('test', { foo: 'bar' });
	});

	app.listen(8080);
	console.log('listening on port 8080...');
	var debug = require('util').debug;

	// helper prototype for rendering block scripts, stylesheet links, etc
	var blocktag = {
	toString: function() {
	var tag = this.tag,
	html = '<'+tag,
	that = this;

	Object.getOwnPropertyNames(this).forEach(function(prop) {
	if (prop !== 'tag') {
	html += ' '+prop+'="'+that[prop]+'"';
	}
	});

	if (tag === 'script') {
	html += '></script>';
	} else {
	html += ' />';
	}

	return html;
	}
	}

	module.exports = function(app) {
	return function(req, res, next) {
	// request-local hash of named blocks
	var blocks = {};

	// dynamic helper for defining/rendering blocks
	function block(name) {
	var block, html;

	if (arguments.length === 0) return next(new Error('unnamed block'));
	block = blocks[name];

	if (arguments.length === 1) {
	// render block contents
	html = '';
	if (block) {
	block.forEach(function(item) {
	html = String(item) + html;
	});
	}
	debug('block: '+name+': '+JSON.stringify(block));
	debug('html: '+html);
	return html;
	} else {
	// define/append block contents
	if (! block) block = blocks[name] = [];
	block.push(Array.prototype.slice.call(arguments, 1));
	debug('block: '+name+': '+JSON.stringify(block));
	return '';
	}
	};

	// utility method for adding a script to a block
	block.script = function(src) {
	return Object.create(blocktag, {
	src : { enumerable: true, value: src },
	tag : { enumerable: true, value: 'script' },
	type: { enumerable: true, value: 'text/javascript' }
	});
	};

	// utility method for adding a stylesheet to a block
	block.stylesheet = function(href, media) {
	var tag = Object.create(blocktag, {
	href: { enumerable: true, value: href },
	tag : { enumerable: true, value: 'link' },
	type: { enumerable: true, value: 'text/css' },
	rel : { enumerable: true, value: 'stylesheet' }
	});
	if (media) {
	tag.media = media;
	}
	return tag;
	};

	debug('add helpers');
	// res.local('block', block);
	// req.app.dynamicHelpers(block);
	// req.app.helpers(block);
	app.helpers({block:block});
	next();
	};
	};
	<!-- use blocks.js to inject content into parent layout -->
	<!-- use new layout() helper to select parent layout -->

	<% layout('layout_site') %>
	<% block('head', block.stylesheet('layout.css')) %>
	<% block('foot', block.script('layout.js')) %>

	<h1>Main Layout</h1>
	<p>
	This is the main page layout.
	It is wrapped by the <t>layout_site</t> layout.
	It adds the following blocks to the layout:
	</p>
	<ul><li>A layout.css stylesheet in the document head</li>
	<li>A layout.js script at the document foot</li>
	</ul>

	<%- body %>
	<!doctype html>
	<head>
	<meta charset=utf-8>
	<title>Nested Layouts with Blocks Demo</title>
	<!-- pull in the 'head' block content defined by our child layouts/pages -->
	<%- block('head') %>
	</head>
	<body>
	<h1>Site Layout</h1>
	<p>
	This is the master site layout.
	It is not wrapped by a layout.
	It includes the following dynamic blocks:
	</p>
	<ul><li><t>head</t>: a block whose content is rendered in the HTML 'head' section</li>
	<li><t>foot</t>: a block whose content is rendered just before the closing 'body' tag</li>
	</ul>

	<%- body %>

	<!-- pull in the 'foot' block content defined by our child layouts/pages -->
	<%- block('foot') %>
	</body>
	</html>
	<!-- use blocks.js to inject content into layout -->
	<!-- use new layout() helper to get nested layouts -->

	<% layout('layout_main') %>
	<% block('head', block.stylesheet('page.css')) %>
	<% block('foot', block.script('page.js')) %>

	<h2>Index Page</h2>
	<p>
	This is the main page content.
	It is wrapped by the <t>layout_main</t> layout.
	It adds the following blocks to the layout:
	</p>
	<ul><li>A page.css stylesheet in the document head</li>
	<li>A page.js script at the document foot</li>
	</ul>