/*
    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) 
{
    var curCookie = name + "=" + escape(value) +
        ((expires) ? "; expires=" + expires.toGMTString() : "") +
        ((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) 
{
    var dc = document.cookie;
    var prefix = name + "=";
    var begin = dc.indexOf("; " + prefix);
    if (begin == -1) 
    {
        begin = dc.indexOf(prefix);
        if (begin != 0) return null;
    } else
	begin += 2;
    var end = document.cookie.indexOf(";", begin);
    if (end == -1)
	end = dc.length;
    return unescape(dc.substring(begin + prefix.length, end));
}
													      
												      
/*
    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);
}