custom cross-browser getElementsByClassname and various utility functions

utils.js

/*
	Name: utils.js
	Desc: A collection of JS Utility functions, some authored by me (Keith Rosenberg, http://www.keithrosenberg.com)
		and some authored by fellow scripters
	Location: https://dl.dropbox.com/u/30820392/JS_Utils/utils.js

	JavaScript Style Guide - Readable, Consistent Code
	Yahoo, Google, Mozilla, jQuery recommendations
	
	Naming:
		Variables and Functions
			- Allowed letters, numbers, $, and _
			- private properties use _ before var name
			- use camelCase ;)
		
		Objects
			- uppercase first letter (Math, Date)
		
	Brace Style: open curly brace on the same line as the keyword
		if (x) {
			//....
		}
		
	Functions - define them before you call them for readability
	
	Google Closure Compiler (minifier, in browser)
	http://closure-compiler.appspot.com/home
*/

//Setup UTILS namespace, make sure it's unique, and if not, make sure we keep what's already there
var UTILS = UTILS || {};

/* 
	Name: getElementsByClassName(String(className), Node(node))
	Desc: Utility function to get elements by className
	Author: Keith Rosenberg
	Returns: A NodeList of DOM Elements
	Example: console.log(getElementsByClassName("newtab-cell"));
	Notes: 
		- Does not require and in fact doesn't work properly if you put a "." in front
		of the class name, i.e. ".newtab-cell"
		- Returns a NodeList in both instances 
		- Implements Good Defaults by making "node" an optional arguement that defaults to
			document
*/
UTILS.getElementsByClassName = function(className, node){
	"use strict";
	
	//Node defaults to document if no node is specified (undefined), or null/false passed to bypass arguement
	//try this later: node = !node ? node : document;
	node = node ? node : document;
	
	if(document.getElementsByClassName){
		// If browser supports this function, use it.
		return node.getElementsByClassName(className);
	} 
	else{
		// If the browser doesn't support the function, use custom test
		var allElems = node.getElementsByTagName("*"),
			allElemsLength = allElems.length,
			elemList = [],	//will be converted to NodeList when populated
			i = 0, 
			currentElem;
		
		//Use traditional for instead of foreach for cross-browser compatability and issues with
		//using an object operation (for...each(in)) on NodeLists, which are not quite objects/arrays
		for(i; i < allElemsLength; i+=1){
			currentElem = allElems[i];
			
			//search() returns -1 if no string found
			if(currentElem.className.search(className) !== -1){
				elemList.push(currentElem); 
			}
		}
		
		return elemList;
	}
};
UTILS.getElementsByAttribute = function(attribute, value, node){
	"use strict";
	
	//Node defaults to document if no node is specified (undefined), or null/false passed to bypass arguement
	node = node ? node : document;
	
	var allElems = node.getElementsByTagName("*"),
		allElemsLength = allElems.length,
		elemList = [],	//will be converted to NodeList when populated
		i = 0, 
		currentElem;
	
	//Use traditional for instead of foreach for cross-browser compatability and issues with
	//using an object operation (for...each(in)) on NodeLists, which are not quite objects/arrays
	for(i; i < allElemsLength; i+=1){
		currentElem = allElems[i];
		
		//search() returns -1 if no string found
		if(currentElem.getAttribute(attribute)){
			if(value === null){
				elemList.push(currentElem); 
			}
			else {
				if(currentElem.getAttribute(attribute) === value){
					elemList.push(currentElem);
				}
			}
		}
	}
	
	return elemList;
};

/* 
	Name: randomColorHex
	Desc: Utility function to generate a random color
	Author: Keith Rosenberg
	Returns: String
	Example: console.log(randomColorHex());	//#AA00F0
	Notes: 
		- returns string, including #
*/
UTILS.randomColorHex = function(){
	// Acceptable numbers are 0-9, letters A-F. A - F represented by 10 - 16 respectively
	var hexLen = 6,
	hexValues = ['#']
	tempDigit = 0;
	
	while(hexLen > 0){
		hexLen--;
		tempDigit = Math.floor(Math.random() * 16);
		switch(tempDigit){
			case 10:
				tempDigit = 'A';
				break;
			case 11: 
				tempDigit = 'B';
				break;
			case 12:
				tempDigit = 'C';
				break;
			case 13:
				tempDigit = 'D';
				break;
			case 14:
				tempDigit = 'E';
				break;
			case 15:
				tempDigit = 'F';
				break;
			default:
				tempDigit = 0;
				break;
		}
		
		// Make a string
		hexValues.push(String(tempDigit));
	}
	var color = hexValues.join('');
	
	// Ensure we are returning a string
	return String(color);
};