Backbone using external js - json

Question

Hi all I have a site developed in cakephp and I would to integrate backbone on it.
For my scope I would to use external js for backbone to reuse the code.
I have write some lines but I can't append results on my element.
I have tried to print the "el" in this modes:
console.log($(this.el));
console.log(this.el);
console.log(this.$el);
But nothing I can't enter into el to make a simple append!
The container #search-results already exist
This is my main view:
<script type="text/javascript">
var search = {};
search.product = {};
search.product.template = "#results-product-template";
search.product.container = "#search-results";
search.product.defaults = {
id:0,
type:"product",
};
$(function(){
var ProductList = new Search.Collections.Products();
var ProductView = new Search.Views.Product({
// new Search.Collections.Products();
collection:ProductList
,el:$("#search-results")
});
function parseResults () {
var json = {
//my data
}
for (var i = json.products.length - 1; i >= 0; i--) {
ProductList.add([new Search.Models.Product(json.products[i])]);
};
updateResults();
}
function updateResults () {
console.log('updateResults: Ritorno il risultato quando hunter riceve una risposta dal server');
if ($('#search-results').length == 0) {
$('div.main > section:first-child').before('<section id="search-results"> <ul id="product-results"> <li>Contenuto</li> </ul> </section>');
}
ProductView.render();
}
// search
$('#search-results .close').on('click', function () {
$('#search-results').animate({height:0}, 500, function () {
$(this).remove();
})
});
});
</script>
And this is my external js with backbone
var Search = {
Models: {},
Collections: {},
Views: {},
Templates:{}
}
Search.Models.Product = Backbone.Model.extend({
defaults: search.product.defaults || {},
toUrl:function (url) {
return url.replace(" ", "-").toLowerCase();
},
initialize:function () {
console.log("initialize Search.Models.Product");
this.on("change", function (){
console.log("chiamato evento change del Model Search.Models.Product");
});
this.on("change:text", function () {
console.log("chiamato evento change:text del Model Search.Models.Product");
});
}
});
Search.Collections.Products = Backbone.Collection.extend({
model: Search.Models.Product,
initialize:function () {
console.log("initialize Search.Collections.Products");
console.log(this);
console.log(this.length);
console.log(this.models);
}
});
Search.Views.Product = Backbone.View.extend({
initialize:function () {
console.log("initialize Search.Views.Product");
console.log($(search.product.template).html());
},
template:function (data) {
if (data == null) {
data = this.collection.toJSON();
}
var template = Handlebars.compile($(search.product.template).html());
template(data);
},
render:function () {
console.log($(this.el));
$(this.el.append("TEST"));
//HERE IS THE PROBLEM
// I have tried this.$el.append("TEST");
return this;
}
});

Answer 1

Does this change anything?
var ProductView = new Search.Views.Product({
// new Search.Collections.Products();
collection:ProductList,
el:$("#search-results")[0]
});
I think backbone can accept both jQuery wrapped or not wrapped object and be fine, but I don't know what Backbone version you are using, see if this works
EDIT: From backbone 1.0 sources, it seems backbone can indeed take either a jQuery wrapped object or a regular dom element, it should still work
this.$el = element instanceof Backbone.$ ? element : Backbone.$(element);
Do you have something online (JSFiddle?) I will be happy to take a look, but this.$el should work and be equal to $("#search-results") from your code in a quick glance.
Have you tried using ProductView.setElement($("#search-results")) instead? it should be the same, but worth a try as well.