A Handlebars.js helper that stringifies an array into readable form.

listify.coffee

define [
  'hbs/handlebars'
  'underscore'
], (Handlebars, _) ->
  """
    Breaks down an array into a comma-delimited list and 'and' before the last item.
    Options:
      total_count - If this is a number greater than the length of array, the difference will be added as 'and x others'.
      first_item - this item will be inserted at the beginning of the array.
    Examples:
      listify([x,y,z], 30, a) -> "a, x, y, z and 26 others"
      listify([x,y], 2) -> "x and y"
  """
  Handlebars.registerHelper "listify", (array, options) ->

    list = array
    _.defaults options.hash,
      first_item: null
      total_count: null

    # insert first_item if it is defined
    list.unshift options.hash["first_item"] if options.hash["first_item"]? and _.isString(options.hash["first_item"])

    if list.length < 2
      return "#{list}"

    # 2 items or more
    if _.isNumber(options.hash["total_count"]) and options.hash["total_count"] > list.length
      last_item = "#{options.hash["total_count"] - list.length} others"
    else
      last_item = list.pop()

    str = list.join ', '
    str = "#{str} and #{last_item}"