display debug info

debug.js

(function( $, window, undefined ) {

	"use strict";
	
	/**
	 * Set DEBUG_LVL and Show/Hide debugging DOM Elements
	 */
	window.setDebugLevel = function( level ) {
		level = parseInt( level, 10 );
		window.DEBUG_LVL = isNaN(level) ? 0 : level;

		if ( window.DEBUG_LVL > 0 ) {
			$('.debug').show();
		} else {
			$('.debug').hide();
		}
	}

	/**
	 * Display message to console.log if DEBUG_LVL is high enough
	 */
	window.debug = function( output, level ) {
		if ( typeof level === "undefined" ) level = 1;

		if ( typeof window.DEBUG_LVL !== "undefined" && window.DEBUG_LVL >= level ) {
			try {
				console.log( output );
			} catch (e) {
				// create a makeshift console
				if ( $('textarea#debugConsole').length < 1 ) {
					var debugConsoleBlock = $('<div/>').appendTo('body');
					$('<a/>',{"href":"#","onclick":"$('textarea#debugConsole').toggle();","text":"[ DEBUG: toggle console ]","style":"font-size:small;"}).appendTo( debugConsoleBlock );
					$('<textarea/>',{"id":"debugConsole","rows":24,"style":"display:none;width:99%;margin-bottom:3em;"}).appendTo( debugConsoleBlock );
				}
				if ( typeof output === "object" ) { output = JSON.stringify(output); }
				$('textarea#debugConsole').val( $('textarea#debugConsole').val() + "\n" + output );
				setTimeout(function() {
					 var textArea = document.getElementById('debugConsole');
					 textArea.scrollTop = textArea.scrollHeight;
				}, 10);
			}
		}
	};
	
})( jQuery, window );