(function($) {
$.extend({
metadata : {
defaults : {
type: 'class',
name: 'metadata',
cre: /({.*})/,
single: 'metadata'
},
setType: function( type, name ){
this.defaults.type = type;
this.defaults.name = name;
},
get: function( elem, opts ){
var settings = $.extend({},this.defaults,opts);
 if ( !settings.single.length ) settings.single = 'metadata';
var data = $.data(elem, settings.single);
 if ( data ) return data;
data = "{}";
if ( settings.type == "class" ) {
var m = settings.cre.exec( elem.className );
if ( m )
data = m[1];
} else if ( settings.type == "elem" ) {
if( !elem.getElementsByTagName )
return undefined;
var e = elem.getElementsByTagName(settings.name);
if ( e.length )
data = $.trim(e[0].innerHTML);
} else if ( elem.getAttribute != undefined ) {
var attr = elem.getAttribute( settings.name );
if ( attr )
data = attr;
}
if ( data.indexOf( '{' ) <0 )
data = "{" + data + "}";
data = eval("(" + data + ")");
$.data( elem, settings.single, data );
return data;
}
}
});

$.fn.metadata = function( opts ){
return $.metadata.get( this[0], opts );
};
})(jQuery);