Feedback Plugin for Rails

Feedback is a Ruby on Rails plugin that adds an ajax-based overlay feedback form triggered by a side-screen tab or a link. The result of the feedback form is sent through a ActionMailer.

The plugin was inspired from the "feedback" widget of GetSatisfaction.com and UserVoice.com.

The plugin uses a generator to generate boiler-plate Javascript, CSS, HTML, and ruby code into your application. It sets up a ready to use feedback form (with minimal styling) that you can further customize.

Features

Helper to display a sticky "feedback" tab.
Display feedback form as an overlay with Ajax.
Sends feedback result by email through an ActionMailer.
Uses a generator such that you can customize the code and style to fit your app.
Generates unit and functional tests.
Works with Prototype and JQuery, choose through a generators flag.
Currently supports IE6, IE7, IE8, FF2, FF3, Chrome2 and SafariX

Motivation

Collecting feedback from users is really important. Third-party services such as GetSatisfaction.com and UserVoice.com are awesome tools to manage your feedback. However, we found out that in many instances such as for small sites or back-ends, we wanted a similar feedback form integration/experience but simpler, local, and customized.

Install and Getting Started

for Rails 2.x

Install the plugin:

ruby script/plugin install git://github.com/jsboulanger/feedback.git

Run the generator:

ruby script/generate feedback_form

By default it will generate the Prototype code, you can use jQuery if you prefer:

ruby script/generate feedback_form --jquery

Include the feedback.css and the jquery.feedback.js/prototype.feedback.js files into your header. There is a helper to do that:

<%= feedback_includes %>

for Rails 3.x

Install the generator:

git clone git://github.com/dohkoos/feedback.git
cp feedback/lib/generators/feedback_form [YOUR_PROJECT_NAME]/lib/generators

Run the generator:

rails generate feedback_form

By default it will generate the jQuery code, you can use Prototype if you prefer:

rails generate feedback_form --skip-jquery

To add a sticky 'feedback' tab to your site, in the header place:

<%= feedback_tab(:position => 'top') %>

Configure the action mailer in app/models/feedback_mailer.rb

def feedback(feedback)
  @recipients = 'you@yoursite.com'
  @from = 'system@yoursite.com'
  @subject = "[Feedback for YourSite.com] #{feedback.subject}"
  ...

How-to's

How to customize the position of the feedback tab?

The feedback_tab helper takes the option "position" which has four different values (top|bottom|left|right) that corresponds to class in the feedback.css file. You can fine tune the position by changing the left/right, top/bottom attributes of those css classes.

How to trigger the feedback form from a custom link?

The feedback_link(text, options={}) helper allows you the create a link that will trigger the feedback form.

<%= feedback_link "Leave us feedback!" %>

Your layout header must also have the includes:

<%= feedback_includes %>

How to customize the email message?

Edit the /app/views/feedback_mailer/feedback.html.erb generated file in your app

How to store the feedback results in the database?

Feedback generates a model that is not an active record model. In order to store the feedbacks in your database, make it an active record model:

class Feedback < ActiveRecord::Base
  attr_accessible :comment, :email, :subject, :page

  validates :subject, :presence => true
  validates :comment, :presence => true
end

You must also write a migration to create your table:

class CreateFeedbacks < ActiveRecord::Migration
  def self.up
    create_table :feedbacks do |t|
      t.string :subject
      t.string :email
      t.text   :comment
      t.timestamps
    end
  end

  def self.down
    drop_table :feedbacks
  end
end

Limitations (TODOs)

No unit tests for Javascript
Feedback PNG with transparency supported by IE6
Graceful fallback if Javascript is not enabled/supported
More customization options through helpers: (overlay style, tab color, etc...)

Acknowledgements

Thanks to GetSatisfaction.com for the idea of the "feedback" tab.

Part of this plugin was inspired from other software. Thanks to their respective authors.

Facebox: http://famspam.com/facebox
restful_authentication: http://github.com/technoweenie/restful-authentication/tree/master

http://jsboulanger.com