jQuery buildSelectList plugin

jquery.buildSelectList.js

(function ($) {
    $.fn.buildSelectList = function (options) {
        defaults = {
            url: null,                  // URL for the select list options.
            data: null,                 // Data to be passed to the URL.
            value: null,                // Currently selected option value.
            valueProperty: "value",     // JSON property for option value.
            textProperty: "text",       // JSON property for option text.
            type: "GET",                // JSON HTTP method.
            useCache: false,            // Allow outputs to be cached.
            emptyOption: true,          // Should an empty select option be given?
            emptyOptionText: "",        // Empty select option text. (Only applies if emptyOption is true.)            
            spinner: null
        };
        var opts = $.extend(defaults, options);
        return this.each(function () {
            var $selectElement = $(this), $spinner = $(opts.spinner);
            var sl = {
                htmlOptions: null,
                initialize: function () {
                    sl.buildSelectList();
                    sl.selectCurrent();
                },
                getJsonData: function () {
                    var jsonData;
                    $.ajax({
                        url: opts.url,
                        data: opts.data,
                        async: false,
                        cache: opts.useCache,
                        dataType: "json",
                        type: opts.type,
                        success: function (json) {
                            jsonData = json;
                        }
                    });
                    return jsonData;
                },
                buildSelectList: function () {
                    // If the HTML options have already been built and no data object is being sent with the request, then
                    // return. There's no reason to build the select list again.
                    if (sl.htmlOptions && !data) { return; }
                    sl.showSpinner();
                    var jsonData = sl.getJsonData();
                    sl.htmlOptions = "";
                    if (opts.emptyOption) {
                        sl.htmlOptions += "<option value=\"\">" + opts.emptyOptionText + "</option>";
                    }
                    for (var i = 0; i < jsonData.length; i++) {
                        sl.htmlOptions += "<option value=\"" + jsonData[i][opts.valueProperty] + "\">" + jsonData[i][opts.textProperty] + "</option>";
                    }
                    $selectElement.html(sl.htmlOptions);
                    sl.hideSpinner();
                },
                selectCurrent: function () {
                    $selectElement.val(opts.value);
                },
                hideSpinner: function () {
                    if ($spinner) {
                        $spinner.hide();
                    }
                },
                showSpinner: function () {
                    if ($spinner) {
                        $spinner.show();
                    }
                }
            };
            sl.hideSpinner();
            sl.initialize();
        });
    };
})(jQuery);