/*

 * DOM node creation for jQuery.

 *

 * Author  :  Sean Gilbertson

 * Created :  2006-01-04

 *

 */



$.create = function() {

	if (arguments.length == 0) {

		return [];

	}

	

	var first_arg = arguments[0];



	/*

	 * In case someone passes in a null object,

	 * assume that they want an empty string.

	 */

	if (first_arg == null) {

		first_arg = "";

	}



	if (first_arg.constructor == String) {

		if (arguments.length > 1) {

			var second_arg = arguments[1];

			

			if (second_arg.constructor == String) {

				var elt = document.createTextNode(first_arg);

				

				var elts = [];

				

				elts.push(elt);



				var siblings = $.create.apply(null, Array.prototype.slice.call(arguments, 1));



				elts = elts.concat(siblings);

				

				return elts;

			} else {

				var elt = document.createElement(first_arg);

				

				/*

				 * Set element attributes.

				 */

				var attributes = arguments[1];



				for (var attr in attributes) {

					$(elt).attr(attr, attributes[attr]);

				}

		

				/*

				 * Add children of this element.

				 */

				var children = arguments[2];



				children = $.create.apply(null, children);



				$(elt).append(children);

		

				/*

				 * If there are more siblings, render those too.

				 */

				if (arguments.length > 3) {

					var siblings = $.create.apply(null, Array.prototype.slice.call(arguments, 3));

					

					return [elt].concat(siblings);

				}

		

				return elt;

			}

		} else {

			return document.createTextNode(first_arg);

		}

	}	else {

		var elts = [];

		

		elts.push(first_arg);



		var siblings = $.create.apply(null, (Array.prototype.slice.call(arguments, 1)));

				

		elts = elts.concat(siblings);

		

		return elts;

	}

}