More robust jQuery.makeArray

[arrix]

Currently, makeArray() uses array.call to determine whether array is a function, which fails with scripts that define Array.prototype.call.

makeArray: function( array ) {
	var ret = [];

	if( array != null ){
		var i = array.length;
		//the window, strings and functions also have 'length'
		if( i == null || array.split || array.setInterval || array.call )
			ret[0] = array;
		else
			while( i )
				ret[--i] = array[i];
	}

	return ret;
},

Unfortunately, there are quite a few scripts do so, notably, effect.js (an old version)

​Search for Array.prototype.call

Is it OK to use jQuery.isFunction(array) instead of a simple property test? If jQuery.isFunction() introduces too much overhead, we can also use something like typeof array == 'function'.

Instead of testing whether array is not an Array, we can also test whether it is an Array. e.g. if (array && array.length && array.splice && array.join)

This may seem unnecessary if the developer has full control of all javascript code but it makes jQuery more robust (good for bookmarklets and greasemonkey scripts).

[flesler]

There are many different types of collections that must be treated as arrays.

Arrays, arguments, nodelists, jQuery, form.elements, {length:1, '0':'a'} and probably more.

Testing positively for arrays would make it impossible to handle all this. Using isFunction does seem like too much overhead for me.

This was already "scheduled for improvement". Will work on it asap, for the next release.

[flesler]

The only known conflict is with Scriptaculous. But they changed they removed call from Array's prototype since 1.8.

So upgrading solves the problem, no need for a hack on our side.

[flesler]

This has been taken into account in the end. Fixed at [5825].