you can now inline sprite images using $<map>-inline:true; before calling the @import closes #611

Gemfile.lock

@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 PATH
   remote: .
   specs:
-    compass (0.12.alpha.0.57f35d4)
+    compass (0.12.alpha.0.7334285)
       chunky_png (~> 1.2)
       fssm (>= 0.2.7)
       sass (~> 3.1)

lib/compass/sass_extensions/functions/sprites.rb

@@ -9,6 +9,23 @@ module Compass::SassExtensions::Functions::Sprites
       self[variable_name.to_s.gsub(/-/,"_")]
     end
   end
+  # Returns the system path of the sprite file
+  def sprite_path(map)
+    Sass::Script::String.new(map.name_and_hash)
+  end
+  Sass::Script::Functions.declare :sprite_path, [:map]
+
+  # Returns the sprite file as an inline image
+  #    @include "icon/*.png";
+  #     #{$icon-sprite-base-class} {
+  #       background-image: inline-sprite($icon-sprites);
+  #      }
+  def inline_sprite(map)
+    verify_map(map, "sprite-url")
+    map.generate
+    inline_image(sprite_path(map))
+  end
+  Sass::Script::Functions.declare :inline_sprite, [:map]
 
   # Creates a Compass::SassExtensions::Sprites::SpriteMap object. A sprite map, when used in a property is the same
   # as calling sprite-url. So the following background properties are equivalent:

lib/compass/sass_extensions/sprites/sprite_methods.rb

@@ -41,9 +41,13 @@ module Compass
           end
         end
         
+        def name_and_hash
+          "#{path}-s#{uniqueness_hash}.png"
+        end
+
         # The on-the-disk filename of the sprite
         def filename
-          File.join(Compass.configuration.generated_images_path, "#{path}-s#{uniqueness_hash}.png")
+          File.join(Compass.configuration.generated_images_path, name_and_hash)
         end
 
         def relativize(path)

lib/compass/sprite_importer/content.erb

@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ $<%= name %>-repeat: no-repeat !default;
 $<%= name %>-prefix: '' !default;
 $<%= name %>-clean-up: true !default;
 $<%= name %>-layout:vertical !default;
+$<%= name %>-inline: false !default;
 
 <% if skip_overrides %> 
   $<%= name %>-sprites: sprite-map("<%= uri %>", $layout: $<%= name %>-layout, $cleanup: $<%= name %>-clean-up);
@@ -35,10 +36,15 @@ $<%= name %>-layout:vertical !default;
 
 // All sprites should extend this class
 // The <%= name %>-sprite mixin will do so for you.
-#{$<%= name %>-sprite-base-class} {
+@if $<%= name %>-inline {
+  #{$<%= name %>-sprite-base-class} {
+    background-image: inline-sprite($<%= name %>-sprites);
+  } 
+} @else {
+  #{$<%= name %>-sprite-base-class} {
     background: $<%= name %>-sprites no-repeat;
+  }
 }
-
 //sass functions to return the dimensions of a sprite image as units
 <% [:width, :height].each do |dimension| %>
   @function <%= name %>-sprite-<%= dimension %>($name) {

test/integrations/sprites_test.rb

@@ -774,7 +774,9 @@ class SpritesTest < Test::Unit::TestCase
         text-align:left;
         background-position:0 0;
         background-image:url('/colors-s58671cb5bb.png');
-        background-repeat:no-repeat;}
+        background-repeat:no-repeat;
+      }
+      
       .yellow { 
         text-indent:-119988px;
         overflow:hidden;
@@ -789,4 +791,23 @@ class SpritesTest < Test::Unit::TestCase
      assert_correct css.gsub("\n", '').gsub(' ', ''), other_css.gsub("\n", '').gsub(' ', '')
    end
    
+   it "should inline the sprite file" do
+     css = render <<-SCSS
+      $colors-inline:true;
+      @import "colors/*.png";
+      @include all-colors-sprites;
+     SCSS
+    other_css = <<-CSS
+      .colors-sprite, .colors-blue, .colors-yellow {
+        background-image:url('data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAUCAAAAACRhfOKAAAAHElEQVR42mM5wQADLP8JMRlIUIvE/IdgctLTNgCHDhEQVD4ceAAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==');
+      }
+      .colors-blue { 
+        background-position:0 0;
+      }.colors-yellow {
+        background-position:0 -10px;
+      }
+    CSS
+    assert_correct css.gsub("\n", '').gsub(' ', ''), other_css.gsub("\n", '').gsub(' ', '')
+   end
+
 end