title: Ember.js: Access properties in "parent" controller when using {{render}} helper
body: <p>I have the following setup:</p>
  
  <pre><code>| // IndexController contains array of search result objects
  | IndexController  (ArrayController) 
  |     //Contains a search result object with row data (array) and search metadata
  |---&gt; ResultController (ObjectController) 
  |          // Contains just the row data which is rendered into a sortable table 
  |--------&gt; TableController (ArrayController)
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>The <code>IndexController</code> retrieves a list of objects from the server when the user initiates a search.  Each object returned has some metadata about the search plus all the row data.</p>
  
  <p>Each object is rendered using the <code>{{#each}}</code> helper in the Index template:</p>
  
  <pre><code>{{#each itemController="result"}}
      {{view App.ResultView}}
  {{/each}}
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>The ResultView renders the metadata and then renders the actual table using the <code>{{render}}</code> helper like this:</p>
  
  <pre><code>&lt;h2&gt;{{pieceofMetaData}}&lt;/h2&gt;
  {{render "table" rows}}  
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>Since I specified the model (in this case the row data), the <code>{{render}}</code> helper creates an instance of the TableController for each result object.  For example, if there are 3 result objects in the IndexController model then 3 TableControllers are created.  The TableController is an ArrayController to take advantage of the sorting that an ArrayController can do for me.  Inside the Table template I render the table itself:</p>
  
  <pre><code>  &lt;table&gt;
        &lt;thead&gt;
            &lt;tr&gt;
                &lt;th&gt;First Name&lt;/th&gt;
                &lt;th&gt;Last Name&lt;/th&gt;
            &lt;/tr&gt;
        &lt;/thead&gt;
        &lt;tbody&gt;   
            {{#each}}  &lt;!-- Each row of data is rendered here --&gt;
                &lt;tr&gt;
                    &lt;td&gt;{{firstName}}&lt;/td&gt;
                    &lt;td&gt;{{lastName}}&lt;/td&gt;
                &lt;/tr&gt;
            {{/each}}
        &lt;/tbody&gt;
     &lt;/table&gt;
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>This works well but I have now run into an issue.  I need to be able to access properties in the <code>ResultController</code> from inside the <code>TableController</code>. Basically the <code>ResultController</code> contains information about which columns are sortable.  I cannot figure out how to access the parent <code>ResultController</code> from the child <code>TableController</code>.</p>
  
  <p>I tried using <code>needs: ['result']</code> inside of the 'TableController' but this just instantiates a new instance of the <code>ResultController</code> rather than giving me access to the actual parent.</p>
  
  <p>I created a working jsbin below that sets up the code I described here.  </p>
  
  <blockquote>
    <p><a href="http://emberjs.jsbin.com/paceqaki/7/edit" rel="nofollow">http://emberjs.jsbin.com/paceqaki/7/edit</a></p>
  </blockquote>
  
  <p>Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated!</p>
  
  <p>Best,</p>
  
  <p>Sarus</p>