(function ($) {
    $.fn.selectChain = function (options) {
        var defaults = {
        /*
            // not supported for now
            key: "id",
            value: "label"
        */            
        };
        
        var settings = $.extend({}, options, defaults);
        
        if (!(settings.target instanceof $)) settings.target = $(settings.target);
        
        return this.each(function () {
            var $$ = $(this);
            
            $$.change(function () {
                var data = null;
                if (typeof settings.data == 'string') {
                    data = settings.data + '&' + this.name + '=' + $$.val();
                } else if (typeof settings.data == 'object') {
                    data = settings.data;
                    data[this.name] = $$.val();
                }
                
                settings.target.empty();
                
                var dataProvider = 'ajax';
                if (settings.type && (settings.type == 'function'))
                    dataProvider = 'function';
                    
                if (dataProvider == 'ajax')
                {
                    $.ajax({
                        url: settings.url,
                        data: data,
                        type: (settings.type || 'get'),
                        dataType: 'json',
                        success: function (j) {
                            var options = [], i = 0, o = null;
                            
                            for (i = 0; i < j.length; i++) {
                                // required to get around IE bug (http://support.microsoft.com/?scid=kb%3Ben-us%3B276228)
                                o = document.createElement("OPTION");
                                o.value = typeof j[i] == 'object' ? j[i][settings.key] : j[i];
                                o.text = typeof j[i] == 'object' ? j[i][settings.value] : j[i];
                                settings.target.get(0).options[i] = o;
                            }

			                // hand control back to browser for a moment
			                setTimeout(function () {
			                    settings.target
                                    .find('option:first')
                                    .attr('selected', 'selected')
                                    .parent('select')
                                    .trigger('change');
			                }, 0);
                        },
                        error: function (xhr, desc, er) {
                            // add whatever debug you want here.
			                alert("an error occurred");
                        }
                    });
                }      
                else if (dataProvider == 'function')
                {        
                    var results = new Object();
                    results.settings = settings;
                    results.data = data;
                    results.output = null;
                    
                    settings.handler(results);
                    
                    var j = results.output;
                    
                    var options = [], i = 0, o = null;
                      
                    for (i = 0; i < j.length; i++) {
                        // required to get around IE bug (http://support.microsoft.com/?scid=kb%3Ben-us%3B276228)
                        o = document.createElement("OPTION");
                        o.value = typeof j[i] == 'object' ? j[i][settings.key] : j[i];
                        o.text = typeof j[i] == 'object' ? j[i][settings.value] : j[i];
                        settings.target.get(0).options[i] = o;
                    }

	                // hand control back to browser for a moment
	                setTimeout(function () {
	                    settings.target
                            .find('option:first')
                            .attr('selected', 'selected')
                            .parent('select')
                            .trigger('change');
	                }, 0);                    
                }
            });
        });
    };
})(jQuery);