Allows you to create a jQuery style (like $('a').attr(), $('a').css()) getter and setter function for any variable or property you choose. When a property name of your subject is provided, it's returned. If a 2nd argument is passed as well, the named prop

createGetterSetter.js

/** 
 * Allows you to create a jQuery style (like .attr(), .css()) getter and setter function for any variable or property you choose.
 * When a property name of your subject is provided, it's returned. if a 2nd argument is passed as well, your subject is set to that value
 * 
 * @param		property The variable or property your getter/setter will operate on
 * @return		[chainTo] {Object} Optionally return the object the subject is a property of, to allow chaining
 * @author		https://github.com/JamieMason
 */
function createGetterSetter(subject, chainTo)
{
    return function()
	{
        return (function (name, value)
		{
			// return the property owning object by default, to allow calls to be chained
			var self = this,
			    returnValue = chainTo; 
	
			switch (true)
			{
				// Set many: obj.method({name:'value', name:'value'});
				case $.isPlainObject(name) : $.extend(self, name);
					break;
	
				// Set one: obj.method('name', 'value');
				case arguments.length === 2 : self[name] = value;
					break;
	
				// Get one: obj.method('name');
				default : returnValue = self[name];
			}
	
			return returnValue;

		}).apply(subject, arguments);
    };
}

createGetterSetter_example.js

function someConstructor (spec)
{
	var that = {},
	    _privateOptions = spec;
	
	that.option = createGetterSetter(_privateOptions, that);
	
	return that;
}

var someInstance = someConstructor({
	jamie : 'mason'
});

someInstance.option('jamie');
// >>> 'mason'

someInstance.option('jamie', 'jasta');
// >>> someInstance

someInstance.option('jamie');
// >>> 'jasta'