A helper method that creates a breadcrumb based on your current url

breadcrumb_helper.rb

module Admin::BreadcrumbHelper
  # BREADCRUMB HELPER
  #
  # This module is useful anywhere you want to create a basic bread crumb
  # I generally use it 
  # INSTALLATION for ADMIN DASHBOARD
  # 1. Save this file to app/helpers/admin/breadcrumb_helper
  #
  # INSTALLATION for NORMAL USE
  # 1. Save this file to app/helpers/breadcrumb_helper
  # 2. Change the module definition from 
  #      module Admin::BreadcrumbHelper
  #    to simply 
  #      module BreadcrumbHelper
  #
  # USAGE
  # 1. Make sure all of your models have a 'name' attribute.
  #    (If not, just make an alias in your model that points to another attribute
  #    class SomeClass < ActiveRecord::Base
  #      def name
  #        title
  #      end
  #    end
  #
  # 2. In a view (I put it in app/views/layouts/admin.html.erb) call this:
  #   <%= get_bread_crumb %>
  #
  # OPTIONS
  # You'll note I am using @breadcrumb_base_override to add a 
  # link to the root path. This works well for me in admin dashboards,
  # since I can use it to link to the root path. If you don't need this, take it out
  #
  # CREDITS
  # by Jack Desert <jackdesert@gmail.com>
  # Adapted from:
  # https://gist.github.com/sprsquish/445553
  # http://www.onlineaspect.com/2010/06/19/breadcrumbs-in-rails/
 
  JOINER = " &raquo; "
  def get_bread_crumb
    @breadcrumb_base_override = link_to "HOME", root_path
    url = controller.env['PATH_INFO']
    breadcrumb = []
    used_elements = []
    elements = url.split('/')
    last_index = elements.length - 1
    elements.each_with_index do |element, index|
      used_elements << element
      url = used_elements.join('/')
      breadcrumb << if element =~ /^[0-9]+$/      
        model = elements[index-1].singularize.capitalize.constantize
        text = model.find(element).name.humanize rescue element
        link_to_if(index < last_index, text, url) 
      else
        link_to_if(index < last_index, element.titleize, url)
      end
    end
    breadcrumb[0] = @breadcrumb_base_override if @breadcrumb_base_override
    breadcrumb.join(JOINER).html_safe
  rescue
      'Breadcrumb Not available'
  end
end