(function($) {
		  
	$.fn.select_autocomplete = function(options) {
		
		// make sure we have an options object
		options = options || {};
		
		// setup our defaults
		var defaults = { 
			minChars: 0,
			width: 250,
			matchSubset: true,
			matchContains: true,
			autoFill: false,
			formatItem: function(row, i, max) {
				return row.name;
			},
			formatMatch: function(row, i, max) {
				return row.name;
			},
			formatResult: function(row) {
				return row.name;
			}
		};
		
		options = $.extend(defaults, options);
		
		return this.each(function() {
		
			//stick each of it's options in to an items array of objects with name and value attributes 
			var $this = $(this),
				data = [],
				$input = $('<input type="text" />');
			
			if (this.tagName.toLowerCase() != 'select') { return; }
				
			
			$this.children('option').each(function() {
				var $option = $(this);
				
				if ($option.val() != '') { //ignore empty value options
					data.push({
						  name: $option.html(),
						  value: $option.val()
					});
				}
			});
			
			// insert the input after the select
			$this.after($input);
			
			// add it our data
			options.data = data;
		
			//make the input box into an autocomplete for the select items
			$input.autocomplete(data, options);
		
			//make the result handler set the selected item in the select list
			$input.result(function(event, selected_item, formatted) { 
				$($this.find('option[value=' + selected_item.value + ']')[0]).attr('selected', true);
				$this.change();
			});

			$input.blur(function(){
				// autocomplete has removed blank options
				// ensure that if value is removed we select the blank option if available
				if(this.value == ""){
					$($this.find('option[value=]')[0]).attr('selected', true);
				}
				
				/*  failsafe to ensure text box always represents the value being used in the select
				*   there are edge cases where if you leave the field part way through the word, or clear the value when no blank option is available
				*   that force a mismatch between the 2 elements */
				
				if(this.value != $this[0].options[$this[0].selectedIndex].text){
					$input.val($this[0].options[$this[0].selectedIndex].text);
				}  
			});
		
			//set the initial text value of the autocomplete input box to the text node of the selected item in the select control
			$input.val($this[0].options[$this[0].selectedIndex].text);
		
			// hide the select list
			$this.hide();

		});
	};		  
  
})(jQuery);