nflamel

<!-- app/views/foos/_foo.html.erb -->
<tr>
  <td>
    <%= foo.name %>
  </td>
  <td>
    <%= foo.color %>
  </td>
</tr>

<!-- app/views/foos/_foos.html.erb -->
<table>
  <thead>
    <tr>
      <th>Name</th>
      <th>Color</th>
    </tr>
  </thead>
  <tbody>
    <%= render @foos %>
  </tbody>
</table>

<!-- app/views/foos/_foos_empty.html.erb -->
<p>No foos yet... <%= link_to "create some!", new_foo_path %></p>

# app/helpers/foos_helper.rb
module FoosHelper
  def render_foos
    if @foos.blank?
      render :partial => "foos_empty"
    else
      render :partial => "foos"
    end
  end
end

<!-- app/views/foos/index.html.erb -->
<%= render_foos %>