Simple table builder + sorting.erb

<div id="left">
  <%=render(:partial => "user_widget")%>
</div>
<div id="right">
  <div class="box">
    <div class="title"><h5>Users</h5></div>

    <%
      fields = [
        {:label => 'Name', :method => :last_name, :display => lambda { |u| u.name } },
        {:label => 'Registered', :method => :created_at, :display => lambda { |u| u.created_at.to_s(:short) } },
        {:label => 'Type', :method => :type },
        {:label => 'Approved', :method => :approved, :display => lambda { |u| u.approved? ? 'Yes' : 'No' } },
        {:label => 'Active', :method => :active, :display => lambda { |u| u.active? ? 'Yes' : 'No' } },
      ]
    %>

    <!--
    <% %w(asc desc).each do | dir | %>
      <p>      
      <% fields.each do | field | %>
        <% next if field[:sortable] == false %>
        <% sort_key = "#{field[:method]} #{dir}" %>
        <%= link_to "#{field[:label]}", admin_users_path(:page => 1, :sort => sort_key), :class => "link-as-button#{sort_key == params[:sort] ? ' current' : ''}" %>
      <% end %>
      <%= dir.upcase %>
      </p>
    <% end %>
    -->

    <div class="sorter">
      <form action="<%= admin_users_path(:page=>1) %>" method='get'>
        Sort:  <select name='sort' onchange="this.form.submit();">
          <% fields.each do | field | %>
            <% %w(asc desc).each do | dir | %>
              <% sort_key = "#{field[:method]} #{dir}" %>
              <option  value="<%= sort_key %>" <%= 'selected="selected"' if sort_key == params[:sort] %>><%= field[:label] %> (<%= dir.capitalize %>)</option>
            <% end %>
          <% end %>
        </select>
      </form>
    </div>

    <div class="table">
      <table>
        <tr>
          <% fields.each do | field | %>
            <th><%= field[:label] %></th>
          <% end %>
          <th class="last">Actions</th>
        </tr>
        <% @users.each do |user| %>
          <tr>
            <% fields.each do | field | %>
              <td><%= field[:display] ? field[:display].call(user) : user.send(field[:method]) %></td>
            <% end %>
            <td class="last">
              <%= link_to 'Details', admin_user_path(user),:class => "link-as-button" %>
              <%= link_to 'Edit', edit_admin_user_path(user),:class => "link-as-button" %>
              <%= link_to 'Resend Activation', send_activation_admin_user_path(user), :method => :post,:class => "link-as-button" if !user.active? && user.approved? %>
              <%= link_to 'Approve', approve_admin_user_path(user), :method => :post,:class => "link-as-button" unless user.approved? %>
              <%= link_to 'Delete', admin_user_path(user), :confirm => 'Are you sure?', :method => :delete,:class => "link-as-button" %></td>
          </tr>
        <% end %>
      </table>
    </div>

    <%= will_paginate @users %>
  </div>
</div>
<style>
  .current { color:red; }
  .sorter { padding: 10px; margin-left: 20px; }
</style>


# admin/users_controller.rb

  def index 
    params[:sort] ||= 'approved asc, last_name asc'
    @users = current_university.users.order_by(params[:sort]).paginate(:page => params[:page])
  end

# User.rb 

named_scope :order_by, lambda { |sort| { :order => sort } }