Javascript utility functions, for Dev8D workshop, by Juliette Culver | http://data.dev8d.org/2012/programme/event/CS21

dev8d-utils.js

/**
 * Javascript create function - safe use of 'new'.
 * By Juliette Culver.
 */
function create(parent) {
  f = function();
  f.prototype = parent;
  a = new f();
  return a;
}


/**
 * Simple Javascript command-line dump function (use with eg. JSDB).
 * By Juliette Culver.
 */
function dump(obj) {
  for(var attr in obj) {
    println(attr+':'+obj[attr]);
  }
}


/**
 * A full Javascript command-line dump function, like PHP's var_dump.
 *   (Better for strings, arrays, boolean types..)
 * By Juliette and Nick.
 */
function var_dump(o) {
  var
  t=typeof o,
  l=o.length;
  print(t);
  if(l) {
    if('object'==t)print(':array');
    return println('('+l+') : '+o);  // Return arrays, strings (and functions).
  }
  if('object'!=t)return println(' : '+o);  // Return everything but true objects.
  println(' {');
  for(var at in o) {
    println(at+' : '+o[at]);
  }
  println('}');  // Finally, true objects.
};