Data attribute API extension for MooTools.

Element.Data.js

Element.implement({
	
	getData: function() {
		var data = {}, attrs = this.attributes;
		for (var i=0; i<attrs.length; i++){
		    k = attrs.item(i).nodeName;
		    if (k.match(/^data-/)) data[k.replace(/^data-/, '')] = attrs.item(i).nodeValue;
		} return data;
	},
	
	clearData: function() {
		var self = this;
		Object.each(this.getData(), function(v,k){
			self.removeProperty('data-'+k, '');
		});
		return this;
	},
	
	setData: function(k,v) {
		this.setAttribute('data-'+k, v);
		return this;
	}
	
});

That's useful for when you're working with single data keys. ;) If you notice, the entire thing is just a thin wrapper over get[Attribute] to begin with, so I'm totally with you there.

I wrote this because I've been attaching "arbitrary" data attributes to elements which I needed to process and clear periodically, so the main benefit of this is to return just the custom data attributes without the data- prepended so I don't have to do the key translation each time and I can work with them procedurally rather than manually.

The setData is the only borderline useless method, but I like having symmetry in APIs. :)

Wouldn't it be grand to have an element wrapper which mimics the .data attributes in the spec, using timers or property change events? :)