jQuery.fn.populate = function(obj, options) {
	
	
	// ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
	// JSON conversion function
	
		// convert 
			function parseJSON(obj, path)
			{
				// prepare
					path = path || '';
				
				// iteration (objects / arrays)
					if(obj == undefined)
					{
					}
					else if(obj.constructor == Object)
					{
						for(var prop in obj)
						{
							var name	= path + (path == '' ? prop : '[' +prop+ ']');
							parseJSON(obj[prop], name);
						}
					}
						
					else if(obj.constructor == Array)
					{
						for(var i = 0; i < obj.length; i++)
						{
							var index	= options.useIndices ? i : '';
							index		= options.phpNaming ? '[' +index+']' : index;
							var name	= path + index;
							parseJSON(obj[i], name);
						}
					}
					
				// assignment (values)
					else
					{
						// if the element name hasn't yet been defined, create it as a single value
						if(arr[path] == undefined)
						{
							arr[path] = obj;
						}
		
						// if the element name HAS been defined, but it's a single value, convert to an array and add the new value
						else if(arr[path].constructor != Array)
						{
							arr[path] = [arr[path], obj];
						}
							
						// if the element name HAS been defined, and is already an array, push the single value on the end of the stack
						else
						{
							arr[path].push(obj);
						}
					}
	
			};


	// ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
	// population functions
		
		function debug(str)
		{
			if(window.console && console.log)
			{
				console.log(str);
			}
		}
		
		function getElementName(name)
		{
			if (!options.phpNaming)
			{
				name = name.replace(/\[\]$/,'');
			}
			return name;
		}
		
		function populateElement(parentElement, name, value)
		{
			var selector	= options.identifier == 'id' ? '#' + name : '[' +options.identifier+ '="' +name+ '"]';
			var element		= jQuery(selector, parentElement);
			value			= value.toString();
			value			= value == 'null' ? '' : value;
			element.html(value);
		}
		
		function populateFormElement(form, name, value)
		{

			// check that the named element exists in the form
				var name	= getElementName(name); // handle non-php naming
				var element	= form[name];
				if(element == undefined)
				{
					debug('No such element as ' + name);
					return false;
				}
					
			// debug options				
				if(options.debug)
				{
					_populate.elements.push(element);
				}
				
			// now, place any single elements in an array.
			// this is so that the next bit of code (a loop) can treat them the 
			// same as any array-elements passed, ie radiobutton or checkox arrays,
			// and the code will just work

				elements = element.type == undefined && element.length ? element : [element];
				
				
			// populate the element correctly
			
				for(var e = 0; e < elements.length; e++)
				{
					
					var element = elements[e];
					
					switch(element.type || element.tagName)
					{
	
						case 'radio':
							// use the single value to check the radio button
							element.checked = (element.value != '' && value.toString().toLowerCase() == element.value.toLowerCase());
							
						case 'checkbox':
							// depends on the value.
							// if it's an array, perform a sub loop
							// if it's a value, just do the check
							
							var values = value.constructor == Array ? value : [value];
							for(var j = 0; j < values.length; j++)
							{
								element.checked |= element.value == values[j];
							}
							
							//element.checked = (element.value != '' && value.toString().toLowerCase() == element.value.toLowerCase());
							break;
							
						case 'select-multiple':
							var values = value.constructor == Array ? value : [value];
							for(var i = 0; i < element.options.length; i++)
							{
								for(var j = 0; j < values.length; j++)
								{
									element.options[i].selected |= element.options[i].value == values[j];
								}
							}
							break;
						
						case 'select':
						case 'select-one':
							element.value	= value.toString().toLowerCase() || value;
							break;
	
						case 'text':
						case 'button':
						case 'textarea':
						case 'submit':
						default:
							value			= value == null ? '' : value;
							element.value	= value;
					}
						
				}

		}
		

		
	// ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
	// options & setup
		
		// exit if no data object supplied
			if (obj === undefined)
			{
				return this;
			};
		
		// options
			var options = jQuery.extend
			(
				{
					phpNaming:		true,
					phpIndices:		false,
					resetForm:		true,
					identifier:		'id',
					debug:			false
				},
				options
			);
				
			if(options.phpIndices)
			{
				options.phpNaming = true;
			}
	
	// ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
	// convert hierarchical JSON to flat array
		
			var arr	= [];
			parseJSON(obj);
			
			if(options.debug)
			{
				_populate =
				{
					arr:		arr,
					obj:		obj,
					elements:	[]
				}
			}
	
	// ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
	// main process function
		
		this.each
		(
			function()
			{
				
				// variables
					var tagName	= this.tagName.toLowerCase();
					var method	= tagName == 'form' ? populateFormElement : populateElement;
					
				// reset form?
					if(tagName == 'form' && options.resetForm)
					{
						this.reset();
					}

				// update elements
					for(var i in arr)
					{
						method(this, i, arr[i]);
					}
			}
			
		);

return this;
};