Fillbox plugin, to go along with Rey Bango's blog post

jquery.ba-fillbox.js

// Fillbox plugin, to go along with Rey Bango's blog post,
// "Generic Activity Indicator for Ajax Requests"
// http://blog.reybango.com/2010/07/06/generic-activity-indicator-for-ajax-requests/

(function($){
  
  // Call as $('#foo').fillbox() to use default options or override as-needed
  // like $('#bar').fillbox({ url: 'foo.php' }).
  $.fn.fillbox = function( options ) {
    
    // Options override defaults (but only if passed).
    options = $.extend( {}, $.fn.fillbox.options, options );
    
    return this.each(function(){
      var elem = this;
      
      $(elem)
        // Remove any existing throbber.
        .find( '.throbber' )
          .remove()
          .end()
        
        // Add a new throbber.
        .prepend( '<img class="throbber" src="facebook.gif" />' );
      
      // Proxy callback methods so that `this` refers to this element.
      $.each( [ 'complete', 'error', 'success' ], function(i,method){
        if ( options[ method ] ) {
          options[ method ] = $.proxy( options[ method ], elem );
        }
      })
      
      // Make the actual ajax call.
      $.ajax( options );
    });
  };
  
  // Default options (changeable as $.fn.fillbox.options properties).
  $.fn.fillbox.options = {
    url: 'test.php',
    cache: false,
    success: function( data ) {
      $(this).html( data );
    },
    complete: function() {
      // A generic "remove the throbber" handler.
      $(this).find( '.throbber' ).remove();
    }
  };
  
})(jQuery);