handlebars - is it possible to access parent context in a partial?

I've got a handlebar template that loads a partial for a sub-element.

I would need to access a variable from the parent context in the calling template, from within the partial. .. doesn't seem to resolve to anything inside the partial.

Simplified code goes like this:

the template

    {{#each items}} 
        {{> item-template}}
    {{/each}}

the partial

    value is {{value}}

(obviously the real code is more complicated but it's the same principle, within the partial .. appears to be undefined.)

To show it's undefined, I've used a very simple helper whatis like this:

Handlebars.registerHelper('whatis', function(param) {
    console.log(param);
});

and updated the above code to this:

updated template

    {{#each items}} 
        {{whatis ..}}  <-- Console shows the correct parent context
        {{> item-template}}
    {{/each}}

updated partial

    {{whatis ..}}  <-- Console shows "undefined"
    value is {{value}}

Is there a way to go around that issue? Am I missing something?

EDIT: There's an open issue relating to this question on handlebars' github project

Solution 1:

Just in case anyone stumbles across this question. This functionality exists now in Handlebars.

Do this:

{{#each items}} 
    {{! Will pass the current item in items to your partial }}
    {{> item-template this}} 
{{/each}}

Solution 2:

Working fiddle (inspired by handlebars pull request #385 by AndrewHenderson) http://jsfiddle.net/QV9em/4/

Handlebars.registerHelper('include', function(options) {
    var context = {},
        mergeContext = function(obj) {
            for(var k in obj)context[k]=obj[k];
        };
    mergeContext(this);
    mergeContext(options.hash);
    return options.fn(context);
});

Here's how you'd setup the parent template:

{{#each items}} 
    {{#include parent=..}}
        {{> item-template}}
    {{/include}}
{{/each}}

And the partial:

value is {{parent}}