<p>When I load <code>script/console</code>, sometimes I want to play with the output of a controller or a view helper method.</p>

<p>Are there ways to:</p>

<ul>
<li>simulate a request?</li>
<li>call methods from a controller instance on said request?</li>
<li>test helper methods, either via said controller instance or another way?</li>
</ul>

Here's one way to do this through the console:
```
```
>> foo = ActionView::Base.new
=> #<ActionView::Base:0x2aaab0ac2af8 @assigns_added=nil, @assigns={}, @helpers=#<ActionView::Base::ProxyModule:0x2aaab0ac2a58>, @controller=nil, @view_paths=[]>

>> foo.extend YourHelperModule
=> #<ActionView::Base:0x2aaab0ac2af8 @assigns_added=nil, @assigns={}, @helpers=#<ActionView::Base::ProxyModule:0x2aaab0ac2a58>, @controller=nil, @view_paths=[]>

>> foo.your_helper_method(args)
=> "<html>created by your helper</html>"
```
```
Creating a new instance of
```
ActionView::Base
```
gives you access to the normal view methods that your helper likely uses.  Then extending
```
YourHelperModule
```
mixes its methods into your object letting you view their return values.