COFFEESCRIPT - Abbreviate string

abbreviate.coffee

window.abbreviate = (str, max, suffix) ->

    #
    # Trim leading and trailing white space
    #
    str = str.replace /^\s+|\s+$/g, ""

    #
    # If the string is less than max, return it
    #

    if str.length <= max
        return str

    abbr = ''

    #
    # Split the string by word, separated by white space
    #

    str = str.split(' ')

    #
    # If we didn't receive a suffix as argument, use '...'
    #

    suffix = if typeof suffix != 'undefined' then suffix else ' ...'
    
    max = max - suffix.length
    
    i = 0
    
    # How many word to we have?
    len = str.length
    
    #
    # Loop through all the words, and keep added them until 
    # we reach the limit
    #

    while i < len
        if (abbr + str[i]).length < max
            abbr += str[i] + ' '
        else
            break
        i++
        
    # Remove the last added white space, and return
    abbr.replace(/[ ]$/g, '') + suffix