simple backbone layout manager (simple subview definitions, with listener cleanup)

backbone.layout.js

Backbone.Layout = Backbone.View.extend({

  initialize: function() {
    this.viewReferences = {};
    Backbone.View.prototype.initialize.apply(this, arguments);
  },

  setView: function(selector, view) {
    var $foundViewNode = $(selector, this.$el),
      previousView = this.viewReferences[selector];

    if (previousView) {
      previousView.stopListening();
    }

    this.viewReferences[selector] = view;
    view.setElement($foundViewNode);
  },

  remove: function() {
    var views = this.viewReferences;
    for (var i = 0; i < views.length; i++) {
      views[i].stopListening();
      // todo: this is only a shallow cleanup. need recursive / deep cleanup
    }
    return Backbone.View.prototype.remove.apply(this, arguments);
  },

  // returns the data to be passed to the template function
  getTemplateData: function() {
    var model = this.model? this.model.toJSON():
      (this.collection? this.collection.toJSON(): {});
    return model;
  },

  // a function that accepts view data
  // and returns html to populate the view
  template: function(templateData) {
    return '';
  },

  // renders the layout and its subviews
  render: function() {
    var self = this,
      views = self.views || [],
      $el = this.$el,
      $content = self.template(self.getTemplateData());

    // render current
    $el.empty();
    $el.append($content);

    // render subviews
    _.each(_.keys(views), function(selector) {
      var view = views[selector].apply(self);
      self.setView(selector, view);
      view.render();
    });

    return this;
  }

});