public static function get_files($index = null)
	{
		// convert element name formats
		is_string($index) and $index = str_replace(':', '.', $index);

		$files = static::$upload->getValidFiles($index);

		// convert the file object to 1.x compatible data
		$result = array();

		foreach ($files as $file)
		{
			$data = array();
			foreach ($file as $item => $value)
			{
				$item == 'element' and $item = 'field';
				$item == 'tmp_name' and $item = 'file';
				$item == 'filename' and $item = 'saved_as';
				$item == 'path' and $item = 'saved_to';
				$data[$item] = $value;
			}
			$data['field'] = str_replace('.', ':', $data['field']);
			$data['error'] = ! $file->isValid();
			$data['errors'] = array();
			$result[] = $data;
		}

		// compatibility with < 1.5, return the single entry if only one was found
		if (func_num_args() and count($result) == 1)
		{
			return reset($result);
		}
		else
		{
			return $result;
		}
	}