function getStyleObject(objectId) {
    // cross-browser function to get an object's style object given its id
    if(document.getElementById && document.getElementById(objectId)) {
// W3C DOM
return document.getElementById(objectId).style;
    } else if (document.all && document.all(objectId)) {
// MSIE 4 DOM
return document.all(objectId).style;
    } else if (document.layers && document.layers[objectId]) {
// NN 4 DOM.. note: this won't find nested layers
return document.layers[objectId];
    } else {
return false;
    }
} // getStyleObject

function changeObjectVisibility(objectId, newVisibility) {
    // get a reference to the cross-browser style object and make sure the object exists
    var styleObject = getStyleObject(objectId);
    if(styleObject) {
styleObject.visibility = newVisibility;
return true;
    } else {
// we couldn't find the object, so we can't change its visibility
return false;
    }
} // changeObjectVisibility


function moveObject(objectId, newXCoordinate, newYCoordinate) {
    // get a reference to the cross-browser style object and make sure the object exists
    var styleObject = getStyleObject(objectId);
    if(styleObject) {
styleObject.left = newXCoordinate;
styleObject.top = newYCoordinate;
return true;
    } else {
// we couldn't find the object, so we can't very well move it
return false;
    }
} // moveObject

function changeObjectDisplayType( objectId, newDisplayType ) {

    // get a reference to the cross-browser style object and make sure the object exists
    var styleObject = getStyleObject(objectId);
    if(styleObject) {
	styleObject.display = newDisplayType;
	return true;
    } 
    else {
	// we couldn't find the object, so we can't change its visibility
	return false;
    }

}
function showObject( objectID ) {

        changeObjectDisplayType( objectID, 'block' );

}   

function hideObject( objectID ) {
     
        changeObjectDisplayType( objectID, 'none' );

}