Attempt at Jquery UI Widget "boilerplate" with local and global variables and functions

widget-template.js

// This is my attempt at a Jquery UI Widget boilerplate which expands upon the others I have 
// seen. Of particular interest to me is establishing best practices for instance, widget and 
// global; variables, arrays, object, functions....




(function($, undefined){

        // locals - accessible by all instances but not accessible outside this closure
        instances = [];       // ITEM_1 - local array
                              // see ITEM_2 for global alternative
        var local = 'value';            // local variable
        localFunct = function() {       // local function (constitutes a private method)
            // ...
        };

	$.widget("myNameSpace.myWidget", {

              // ITEM_4 - objects defined here will be added to the widget's 
              // prototype. They will be local to the individual instance.
              // Example of constants obj accessible via this.constants.[key]
              // Cannot be accessed outside the widget. Each instance will receive these
              // initial values but maintain its own values like options but there is no 
              // built in method to allow access via the widget API. 
                _constants: {
                    widgetName: myWidget,
                    author: me
                },

		options: {
			autoOpen: true
		},
		
		_create: function(){
		
		      // by default, consider this thing closed. 
			this._isOpen = false; // ITEM_3 this is an instance variable - accessible 
                             // within all methods. Each instance maintains it own value 
                             // because _isOpen is assigned to the instance (this is the instance)
			
		      // remember this instance
                        // for use with ITEM_2
			$.myNameSpace.myWidget.instances.push(this.element);
                        // for use with ITEM_1
			instances.push(this.element);
		},
		
		_init: function(){
		
		      // call open if this instance should be open by default
			if( this.options.autoOpen ){
				this.open();
			}
		},
		
		open: function(){
			this._isOpen = true;

		      // optional auto close of other instances 
			// trigger beforeopen event.  if beforeopen returns false,
			// bail out of this method. 
			if( this._trigger("beforeopen") === false ){
				return;
			}
			// call methods on every other instance of this dialog
			$.each( this._getOtherInstances(), function(){
				var $this = $(this);
				
				if($this.myWidget("isOpen")){
					$this.myWidget("close");
				}
			});
			
			// more open related code here
			
			// optional trigger open event
			this._trigger("open");
			
			return this;
		},
		
		close: function(){
			this._isOpen = false;
			
			// optional trigger close event
			this._trigger("close");
			
			return this;
		},
		
		isOpen: function(){
			return this._isOpen;
		},
		
		destroy: function(){
			// remove this instance from instances array
			var element = this.element,
                                // for use with ITEM_2
				position = $.inArray(element, $.ui.myWidget.instances);
                                // for use with ITEM_1
                                position = $.inArray(element, instances);
		 
			// if this instance was found, splice it off
			if(position > -1){
                                // for use with ITEM_2
				$.myNameSpace.myWidget.instances.splice(position, 1);
                                // for use with ITEM_1
                                instances.splice(position, 1);
			}
			
			// call the original destroy method since we overwrote it
			$.Widget.prototype.destroy.call( this );
		},

		_getOtherInstances: function(){ // for use with ITEM_2
			var element = this.element;
		
                        // for use with ITEM_2
			return $.grep($.myNameSpace.myWidget.instances, function(el){
				return el !== element;
			});
                        // for use with ITEM_1
			return $.grep(instances, function(el){
				return el !== element;
			});
		},
		
		_setOption: function(key, value){
			this.options[key] = value;
			
			switch(key){ // for special case options
				case "something":
					// perform some additional logic if just setting the new
					// value in this.options is not enough. 
					break;
			}
		}
	});

	$.extend($.myNameSpace.myWidget, { 
		instances: [] // ITEM_2 - global at $.myNameSpace.myWidget.instances
	                      // see ITEM_1 for local alternative
                // don't need to add global function example
        });

})(jQuery);

This is a work in progress. It may or may not be right. If you have comments, suggestions, etc. please leave a comment.