## the result is to build a dropdown menu bar based off of a dropdown model which has_many webpages:
	<ul id="nav">
					<li>
						<a class="current" href="/home">Home</a>
					</li>
					<li>
						<a href="#">Admin</a>
						<ul>
							<li>
								<a href="/photos">Photos</a>
							</li>
							<li>
								<a href="/photos">Products</a>
							</li>
						</ul>
					</li>
				</ul>
## my old confusing method

  def build_menu_bar

    dropdowns = Dropdown.all(:order => 'position ASC')
    white_space = "\r\n"

    content_tag :ul, :id => "nav" do
      dropdowns.map do |dropdown|

        webpage = dropdown.webpages.find_by_name(dropdown.name)
        unless webpage.nil?
          permalink = webpage.permalink
          redirect = webpage.redirect
        else
          redirect = dropdown.redirect
        end
        menu_bar_class = permalink == params[:permalink] && !params[:permalink].nil? ? "current" : nil
        location = dropdown.webpages.map(&:name).include?(dropdown.name) ? permalink : "#{@permalink}#"
        if (dropdown.access_level != 0 && admin?) || dropdown.access_level == 0
          submenus = dropdown.webpages.sort{|a,b| a[:position] <=> b[:position]}
          content_tag :li,  (content_tag :a, dropdown.name, :href => redirect.nil? ? "/#{location}" : redirect, :class => menu_bar_class) + white_space +

          sub_menus = dropdown.webpages.map(&:name).length == 1 && dropdown.webpages.first.name.downcase == dropdown.name.downcase ? "" : (content_tag :ul do
             submenus.map do |webpage|
               dropdown_class = webpage.permalink == params[:permalink] ? "current" : nil
               (content_tag :li, (content_tag :a, webpage.name, :href => webpage.redirect.nil? ? "/#{webpage.permalink}" : webpage.redirect, :class => dropdown_class) unless dropdowns.map(&:name).include?(webpage.name) || !webpage.visible )
             end.join
          end)
        end
      end
    end
  end
## my new and improved refactored code

  def new_build_menu_bar
    dropdowns = Dropdown.all(:order => 'position ASC')

    content_tag :ul, :id => "nav" do
      dropdowns.map do |d|
        content_tag :li, d.webpages.length == 0 ? make_link(d) : make_link(d) + make_webpage_links(d) if view_conditions(d)
      end
    end
  end

  def make_webpage_links(d)
    webpage_links = d.webpages.map { |w| content_tag :li, make_link(w) if view_conditions(w, d) }
    webpage_links.compact.blank? ? "" : (content_tag :ul, webpage_links)
  end

  def view_conditions(obj, obj2 = nil)
    if obj2.nil? || obj2.name != obj.name
      (obj.access_level != 0 && admin?) || obj.access_level == 0
    end
  end

  def make_link(obj)
    content_tag :a, obj.name, :href => href(obj), :class => is_selected?(obj.name, @permalink)
  end

  def href(obj)
    if obj.redirect
      obj.redirect
    else
      if obj.class.name == "Dropdown"
        href_for_dropdown(obj)
      else
        "/#{obj.permalink}"
      end
    end
  end

  def href_for_dropdown(obj)
    obj.webpages.map(&:name).include?(obj.name) ? "/#{obj.webpages.find_by_name(obj.name).permalink}" : "#"
  end

  def is_selected?(obj_name, permalink)
    compare_name = permalink.nil? ? controller.controller_name : permalink.downcase
    obj_name.downcase == compare_name ? "current" : nil
  end