Reworked lua_utils splitting GUI components on a separate file

scripts/lua/modules/lua_utils_generic.lua

@@ -174,6 +174,50 @@ function table.compare(t1, t2, ignore_mt)
   return true
 end
 
+-- ##############################################
+
+-- returns the MAXIMUM value found in a table t, together with the corresponding
+-- index argmax. a pair argmax, max is returned.
+function tmax(t)
+    local argmx, mx = nil, nil
+    if (type(t) ~= "table") then return nil, nil end
+    for k, v in pairs(t) do
+	-- first iteration
+	if mx == nil and argmx == nil then
+	    mx = v
+	    argmx = k
+	elseif (v == mx and k > argmx) or v > mx then
+	-- if there is a tie, prefer the greatest argument
+	-- otherwise grab the maximum
+	    argmx = k
+	    mx = v
+	end
+    end
+    return argmx, mx
+end
+
+-- ##############################################
+
+-- returns the MINIMUM value found in a table t, together with the corresponding
+-- index argmin. a pair argmin, min is returned.
+function tmin(t)
+    local argmn, mn = nil, nil
+    if (type(t) ~= "table") then return nil, nil end
+    for k, v in pairs(t) do
+	-- first iteration
+	if mn == nil and argmn == nil then
+	    mn = v
+	    argmn = k
+	elseif (v == mn and k > argmn) or v < mn then
+	-- if there is a tie, prefer the greatest argument
+	-- otherwise grab the minimum
+	    argmn = k
+	    mn = v
+	end
+    end
+    return argmn, mn
+end
+
 -- ###########################################
 
 function toboolean(s)