jquery.form_object.js

;( function( $, window, document, undefined ){
  "use strict";

  $.fn.formObject = function( data ){
    if ( data ){
      this.each( function(){
        // we do it only for forms
        if ( ! /form/i.test( this.tagName )){
          return false;
        }

        var $form = $( this );

        // unserialize
        $.each( data, function( key, value ){
          $form.find( '[name=' + key + ']' ).each( function( index, input ){
            var $input = $( input );

            switch ( input.type ){
              case 'radio':
              case 'checkbox':
                // set them only if they have matching value or no value set at all
                if ( ( $input.prop( 'value' ) && input.value === value ) || ! $input.prop( 'value' )) {
                  $input.prop( 'checked', true );
                }
                break;
              default:
                $input.val( value );
            }
          });
        });
      });
    } else {
      var forms_data = {};

      this.each( function(){
        var return_obj = {};

        // based on http://jsfiddle.net/sxGtM/3/

        $.each( $( this ).serializeArray(), function() {
          if ( return_obj[ this.name ] !== undefined ){
            if ( !return_obj[ this.name ].push ){
              return_obj[ this.name ] = [ return_obj[ this.name ]];
            }
            return_obj[ this.name ].push( this.value || '' );
          } else {
            return_obj[ this.name ] = this.value || '';
          }
        });

        // // we store the values
        forms_data[ this.id ] = return_obj;
        return return_obj;
      });

      return forms_data;
    }
  };
})( jQuery, window, document );