Export data from Rails to JSON with optional namespacing

json_helper.rb

class JsonHelper

  # Usage:
  #   json_register("hello", "Hello, World!")
  #   json_register("foo.bar", @foobar)
  def json_register(name, data)
    @json_registry ||= {}

    pieces = name.split('.')
    last = pieces.pop
    current = @json_registry

    pieces.each do |p|
      current[p] ||= {}
      current = current[p]
    end

    current[last] = data
  end
  
  # I use json2.js for parsing, but you can use jQuery or whatever.
  # Use this in a <script> tag on your application layout:
  #   Registry = JSON.parse('#{json_export_registry}');
  def json_export_registry
    @json_registry.to_json
  end

end