/*
 * A little help function for when I'm creating functions
 * 
 * When I pluck values from function arguments I tend to
 * write content of this function repeatedly.
 * 
 * e.g.
 * a = arguments
 * this.id = arg(a, 0)
 * this.name = arg(a, 3)
 * 
 * this.id == 6
 * this.name == null
 */
function arg(_a, ia, def, returnArray) {
	var v = null
	
	// if ia is an array, find the
	// first correct definition
	if (ia.constructor  == Array) {
		/*
		 * Each item is checked. if the
		 * item in the array is
		 * a definition within the oaet 
		 * arguments or object - pass it 
		 */
		for(var i=0; i<ia.length; i++) {
			if(_a[ia[i]]){
				
				 v = _a[ia[i]];
				break;
			}
		}
	}
	else {
		// if ia is just a value
		if(_a[ia]) v = _a[ia];
	}
	
	if( (v == null) && (def != undefined) ) {
		v = def
	}  
	
	if(returnArray){
		return [v, ia[i]]
	}
	else
	{
		return v
	}
	
}

/*
 * A little help function for when I'm creating functions
 * 
 * When I pluck values from function arguments I tend to
 * write content of this function repeatedly.
 * 
 * e.g.
 * a = arguments
 * this.id = arg(a, 0)
 * this.name = arg(a, 3)
 * 
 * this.id == 6
 * this.name == null
 */

javascript function argument handling

JavaScript