--- /dev/null
+module Puppet::Parser::Functions
+ newfunction(:pick, :type => :rvalue, :doc => <<-EOS
+
+This function is similar to a coalesce function in SQL in that it will return
+the first value in a list of values that is not undefined or an empty string
+(two things in Puppet that will return a boolean false value). Typically,
+this function is used to check for a value in the Puppet Dashboard/Enterprise
+Console, and failover to a default value like the following:
+
+ $real_jenkins_version = pick($::jenkins_version, '1.449')
+
+The value of $real_jenkins_version will first look for a top-scope variable
+called 'jenkins_version' (note that parameters set in the Puppet Dashboard/
+Enterprise Console are brought into Puppet as top-scope variables), and,
+failing that, will use a default value of 1.449.
+
+EOS
+) do |args|
+ args = args.compact
+ args.delete(:undef)
+ args.delete(:undefined)
+ args.delete("")
+ if args[0].to_s.empty? then
+ fail Puppet::ParseError, "pick(): must receive at least one non empty value"
+ else
+ return args[0]
+ end
+ end
+end