Returns a collection reference by finding it through a CSS pattern in the DOM. This collection can then be used for further method calls. Examples:

page.select('p')                      # => $$('p');
page.select('p.welcome b').first      # => $$('p.welcome b').first();
page.select('p.welcome b').first.hide # => $$('p.welcome b').first().hide();

You can also use prototype enumerations with the collection. Observe:

# Generates: $$('#items li').each(function(value) { value.hide(); });
page.select('#items li').each do |value|
  value.hide
end

Though you can call the block param anything you want, they are always rendered in the javascript as ‘value, index.’ Other enumerations, like collect() return the last statement:

# Generates: var hidden = $$('#items li').collect(function(value, index) { return value.hide(); });
page.select('#items li').collect('hidden') do |item|
  item.hide
end

Source Code

# File action_view/helpers/prototype_helper.rb, line 697
def select(pattern)
  JavaScriptElementCollectionProxy.new(self, pattern)
end