This is a simple web2py todo application in which the index view pulls in a showtasks.load view file to display a populated grid.

Executive summary:

• Split the controller into two methods. In this case, index() is supplemented by showtasks(), even though the showtasks() isn’t called directly.
• Split the view up into two files. In this case index.html is separated from showtasks.load
• Use the LOAD helper in the calling view (index.html in this case, but it could be any view) to insert a view file named with an extension of .load instead of .html

Append this to db.py:

db.define_table('task',
    Field('title',unique=True,notnull=True),
    Field('description','text'),
    Field('priority','integer',default=3,
        requires=IS_IN_SET([1,2,3,4,5],
        labels=[T('Very low'), 
                T('Low'), 
                T('Medium'), 
                T('High'), 
                T('Very High')],
        zero=None)),
    Field('completed','boolean',default=False))

Add these controller methods to default.py:

# Use layout.html to create the "master" page.
# View will call view file showtasks.load.
def index():
    return locals()

# index.html view uses this
def showtasks():
    # Create a grid control.
    # Supports adding, deleting, 
    # editing, and searching records.
    return dict(
        grid=SQLFORM.grid(
            db.task,user_signature=False))

Replace /views/default/index.html with this:

{{extend 'layout.html'}}
{{=LOAD('default', 'showtasks.load',ajax=True)}}

Create the /views/default/showtasks.load:

Now run the app. It looks like any other web2py app but saves page load time by loading only the grid when needed, instead of refreshing the whole page.