/**
 * Get the value of a cookie with the given key.
 *
 * @example $.cookie('the_cookie');
 * @desc Get the value of a cookie.
 *
 * @param String key The key of the cookie.
 * @return The value of the cookie.
 * @type String
 *
 * @name $.cookie
 * @cat Plugins/Cookie
 * @author Klaus Hartl/klaus.hartl@stilbuero.de
 */
jQuery.cookie = function (key, value, options) {
    
    // key and at least value given, set cookie...
    if (arguments.length > 1 && String(value) !== "[object Object]") {
        options = jQuery.extend({}, options);

        if (value === null || value === undefined) {
            options.expires = -1;
        }

        if (typeof options.expires === 'number') {
            var days = options.expires, t = options.expires = new Date();
            t.setDate(t.getDate() + days);
        }
        
        value = String(value);
        
        return (document.cookie = [
            encodeURIComponent(key), '=',
            options.raw ? value : encodeURIComponent(value),
            options.expires ? '; expires=' + options.expires.toUTCString() : '', // use expires attribute, max-age is not supported by IE
            options.path ? '; path=' + options.path : '',
            options.domain ? '; domain=' + options.domain : '',
            options.secure ? '; secure' : ''
        ].join(''));
    }

    // key and possibly options given, get cookie...
    options = value || {};
    var result, decode = options.raw ? function (s) { return s; } : decodeURIComponent;
    return (result = new RegExp('(?:^|; )' + encodeURIComponent(key) + '=([^;]*)').exec(document.cookie)) ? decode(result[1]) : null;
};