jQuery: sort items in a list by text

jQuery.sortUl.js

/**
 * @description
 * sort items in a list by text
 *
 * based on {@link http://stackoverflow.com/questions/1134976/how-may-i-sort-a-list-alphabetically-using-jquery}
 *
 * @param {String/Object} Selector or jQuery Object
 * @param {Boolean} sort descending
 */
 (function ($) {
$.extend({
	sortUl: function (ul, sortDescending) {
		var $ul,
			$li,
			texts = [],
			htmls = {};
				
		if (typeof ul === 'string') {
	    	$ul = $(ul);
	    }
	    else if (typeof ul === 'object') {
	    	$ul = ul;
	    }
		
		// Idiot-proof, remove if you want
		if (!$ul.length) {
			$.error("The UL object is null!");
	    	return;
		}

		// Get the list items and setup an array for sorting
		$lis = $ul.children();
		
		// Populate the array
		$lis.each(function (i, li) {
			var text = $(li).text();
			htmls[text] = $(li).html();
			texts.push(text);
		});

		// Sort it
		texts.sort();

		// Sometimes you gotta DESC
		if (sortDescending) {
			texts.reverse();
		}
		
		// Change the list on the page
		$lis.each(function (i, li) {
			$(li).html(htmls[texts[i]]);
		});
	}
});
}(jQuery));