// name - name of the cookie
// value - value of the cookie
// [expires] - expiration date of the cookie (defaults to end of current session)
// [path] - path for which the cookie is valid (defaults to path of calling document)
// [domain] - domain for which the cookie is valid (defaults to domain of calling document)
// [secure] - Boolean value indicating if the cookie transmission requires a secure transmission
// * an argument defaults when it is assigned null as a placeholder
// * a null placeholder is not required for trailing omitted arguments
function setCookie(name, value, expires, path, domain, secure) {
	//if ((navigator.appName == "Netscape" && navigator.appVersion > "2.0") || (navigator.appName == "Microsoft Internet Explorer" && navigator.appVersion > "3.0")) {
		var today = new Date();
		var expiry = new Date(today.getTime() + 28 * 24 * 60 * 60 * 1000); // plus 28 days
		fixDate(expiry);
		
		var curCookie = name + "=" + escape(value) +
			((expires) ? "; expires=" + expires.toGMTString() : "; expires=" + expiry.toGMTString()) +
			((path) ? "; path=" + path : "; path=/") +
			((domain) ? "; domain=" + domain : "") +
			((secure) ? "; secure" : "");
		document.cookie = curCookie;
	//}
}

// name - name of the desired cookie
// * return string containing value of specified cookie or null if cookie does not exist
function getCookie(name) {
	//if ((navigator.appName == "Netscape" && navigator.appVersion > "2.0") || (navigator.appName == "Microsoft Internet Explorer" && navigator.appVersion > "3.0")) {
		var dc = document.cookie;
		var prefix = name + "=";
		var begin = dc.indexOf("; " + prefix);
		if (begin == -1) {
			begin = dc.indexOf(prefix);
			if (begin != 0) return "";
		} else
			begin += 2;
		var end = document.cookie.indexOf(";", begin);
		if (end == -1)
			end = dc.length;
		return unescape(dc.substring(begin + prefix.length, end));
	//} else {
	//	  return "";
	//}
}

// name - name of the cookie
// [path] - path of the cookie (must be same as path used to create cookie)
// [domain] - domain of the cookie (must be same as domain used to create cookie)
// * path and domain default if assigned null or omitted if no explicit argument proceeds
function deleteCookie(name, path, domain) {
  if (getCookie(name)) {
	document.cookie = name + "=" + 
	((path) ? "; path=" + path : "") +
	((domain) ? "; domain=" + domain : "") +
	"; expires=Thu, 01-Jan-70 00:00:01 GMT";
  }
}

// date - any instance of the Date object
// * hand all instances of the Date object to this function for "repairs"
function fixDate(date) {
  var base = new Date(0);
  var skew = base.getTime();
  if (skew > 0)
	date.setTime(date.getTime() - skew);
}


//function getCookie(name) {
//	  if ((navigator.appName == "Netscape" && navigator.appVersion > "2.0") || (navigator.appName == "Microsoft Internet Explorer" && navigator.appVersion > "3.0")) {
//		  // get top window
//		  var win= top;
//		  var index = win.document.cookie.indexOf(name + "=");
//			if (index == -1) return '';
//			index = win.document.cookie.indexOf("=", index) + 1;
//		  var endstr = win.document.cookie.indexOf(";", index)
//			if (endstr == -1) endstr = win.document.cookie.length;
//			return unescape(win.document.cookie.substring(index, endstr));
//	  } else
//		  return null;	  
//}
//
//function setCookie(name, value) { 
//	  if ((navigator.appName == "Netscape" && navigator.appVersion > "2.0") || (navigator.appName == "Microsoft Internet Explorer" && navigator.appVersion > "3.0")) {
//		  var today = new Date();
//		  var expiry = new Date(today.getTime() + 28 * 24 * 60 * 60 * 1000); // plus 28 days
//
//		  // get top window
//		  var win= top;
//			  win.document.cookie=name + "=" + escape(value) + "; expires=" + expiry.toGMTString();
//	  }
//}