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Backbone-ModelRef.js provides a mechanism to respond to lazy-loaded Backbone.js models.

You can get the library here:

• Development version: https://github.com/kmalakoff/backbone-modelref/raw/master/backbone-modelref.js
• Production version: https://github.com/kmalakoff/backbone-modelref/raw/master/backbone-modelref.min.js

An Example:

  class MyView extends Backbone.View
    constructor: (@model_ref) ->
      super; _.bindAll(this, 'render', 'renderWaiting')
      @model_ref.bind('loaded', @render); @model_ref.bind('unloaded', @renderWaiting)
      if @model_ref.isLoaded() then @render() else @renderWaiting()

    render: -> @is_waiting = false
    renderWaiting: -> @is_waiting = true

  collection = new MyCollection()
  view = new MyView(new Backbone.ModelRef(collection, 'dog')) # view is now rendering in waiting state
  collection.add(collection.parse([{id: 'dog'}]))             # view is now rendering in loaded state

Classes

Backbone.ModelRef: This is the only class! It just wraps a collection and a model id, and tells you when the model is loaded and unloaded.

API Signature Parity between Backbone.Model and Backbone.ModelRef

|Function|Backbone.Model|Backbone.ModelRef| -----------------|--------------|-----------------| get(attribute_name)|returns model.get(attribute_name)|returns the model id only and throws an exception otherwise| model()|returns this|returns its model if it is loaded or null if not| isLoaded()|returns true|returns true if its model is loaded and false otherwise| bindLoadingStates( loaded_fn or {loaded:fn, unloaded:fn} )|loaded function called one time (immediately) and unloaded function never called. No Backbone.Event binding occurs|loaded function called immediately if the model is loaded otherwise they are bound using Backbone.Events 'loaded' and 'unloaded' where each is called when the model is loaded or unloaded, respectively| unbindLoadingStates( loaded_fn or {loaded:fn, unloaded:fn} )|ignored|unbinds Backbone.Events 'loaded' and 'unloaded'|

Other notes:

• Backbone.ModelRefs are reference counted so use retain() and release() to properly ensure non-dangling pointers.
• You can optionally provide an function Backbone.Model.isLoaded() id you have custom loading checks like for lazy-loaded Backbone.Relational models.
• You can optionally provide a reference counted collection (implementing retain() and release()).

Please look at the provided examples and specs for sample code:

• https://github.com/kmalakoff/backbone-modelref/blob/master/test