jQuery.fn.rater = function(url, options)
{
if(url == null) return;
var settings = {
  url       : url, // post changes to
  maxvalue  : 5,   // max number of stars
  curvalue  : 0    // number of selected stars
};

if(options) { jQuery.extend(settings, options); };
jQuery.extend(settings, {cancel: (settings.maxvalue > 1) ? true : false});

var container = jQuery(this);
jQuery.extend(container, { averageRating: settings.curvalue, url: settings.url });
if(!settings.style || settings.style == null || settings.style == 'basic') {
  var raterwidth = settings.maxvalue * 25;
  var ratingparent = '<ul class="star-rating" style="width:'+raterwidth+'px">';
}
if(settings.style == 'small') {
  var raterwidth = settings.maxvalue * 10;
  var ratingparent = '<ul class="star-rating small-star" style="width:'+raterwidth+'px">';
}
if(settings.style == 'inline') {
  var raterwidth = settings.maxvalue * 10;
  var ratingparent = '<span class="inline-rating"><ul class="star-rating small-star" style="width:'+raterwidth+'px">';
}
container.append(ratingparent);

// create rater
var starWidth, starIndex, listitems = '';
var curvalueWidth = Math.floor(100 / settings.maxvalue * settings.curvalue);
for(var i = 0; i <= settings.maxvalue; i++) {
  if (i == 0) {
   listitems+='<li class="current-rating" style="width:'+curvalueWidth+'%;">'+settings.curvalue+'/'+settings.maxvalue+'</li>';
  } else {
   starWidth = Math.floor(100 / settings.maxvalue * i);
   starIndex = (settings.maxvalue - i) + 2;
   listitems+='<li class="star"><a href="#'+i+'" title="'+i+'/'+settings.maxvalue +'" style="width:'+starWidth+'%;z-index:'+starIndex+'">'+i+'</a></li>';
  }
}
container.find('.star-rating').append(listitems); // i am using find here, because the span wrapped in the small style would break children()
if(settings.maxvalue > 1) // add a container for the ajax result
{
  container.append('<span class="star-rating-result"></span>');
}
var stars = jQuery(container).find('.star-rating').children('.star');
stars.click(function()
{
  if(settings.maxvalue == 1) // on / off
  {
   settings.curvalue = (settings.curvalue == 0) ? 1 : 0;
   jQuery(container).find('.star-rating').children('.current-rating').css({width:(settings.curvalue*100)+'%'});
   jQuery.post(container.url, { "rating": settings.curvalue });
   return false;
  }
  else
  {

   settings.curvalue = stars.index(this) + 1;
   raterValue = jQuery(this).children('a')[0].href.split('#')[1];
   jQuery.post(container.url, { "rating": raterValue }, function(response){
    container.children('.star-rating-result').html(response)
   });
   return false;
  }
  return true;
});
return this; // strict warning: anonymous function does not always return a value. fix?
}