// convert object name string or object reference
// into a valid object reference ready for style change
function getObject(obj) {
    var theObj
    if (document.layers) {
        if (typeof obj == "string") {
            return document.layers[obj]
        } else {
            return obj
        }
    }
    if (document.all) {
        if (typeof obj == "string") {
            return document.all(obj).style
        } else {
            return obj.style
        }
    }
    if (document.getElementById) {
        if (typeof obj == "string") {
            return document.getElementById(obj).style
        } else {
            return obj.style
        }
    }
    return null
}

// position an object at a specific pixel coordinate
function shiftTo(obj, x, y) {
    var theObj = getObject(obj)
    if (theObj.moveTo) {
        theObj.moveTo(x,y)
    } else if (typeof theObj.left != "undefined") {
        theObj.left = x
        theObj.top = y
    }
}

// move an object by x and/or y pixels
function shiftBy(obj, deltaX, deltaY) {
    var theObj = getObject(obj)
    if (theObj.moveBy) {
        theObj.moveBy(deltaX, deltaY)
    } else if (typeof theObj.left != "undefined") {
        theObj.left = parseInt(theObj.left) + deltaX
        theObj.top = parseInt(theObj.top) + deltaY
    }
}

// set the z-order of an object
function setZIndex(obj, zOrder) {
    var theObj = getObject(obj)
    theObj.zIndex = zOrder
}

// set the background color of an object
function setBGColor(obj, color) {
    var theObj = getObject(obj)
    if (theObj.bgColor) {
        theObj.bgColor = color
    } else if (typeof theObj.backgroundColor!= "undefined") {
        theObj.backgroundColor = color
    }
}

// set the visibility of an object to visible
function show(obj) {
    var theObj = getObject(obj)
    theObj.visibility = "visible"
}

// set the visibility of an object to hidden
function hide(obj) {
    var theObj = getObject(obj)
    theObj.visibility = "hidden"
}

// retrieve the x coordinate of a positionable object
function getObjectLeft(obj)  {
    var theObj = getObject(obj)
    return parseInt(theObj.left)
}

// retrieve the y coordinate of a positionable object
function getObjectTop(obj)  {
    var theObj = getObject(obj)
    return parseInt(theObj.top)
}

function findPosX(obj)
  {
    var curleft = 0;
    if(obj.offsetParent)
        while(1) 
        {
          curleft += obj.offsetLeft;
          if(!obj.offsetParent)
            break;
          obj = obj.offsetParent;
        }
    else if(obj.x)
        curleft += obj.x;
    return curleft;
  }

  function findPosY(obj)
  {
    var curtop = 0;
    if(obj.offsetParent)
        while(1)
        {
          curtop += obj.offsetTop;
          if(!obj.offsetParent)
            break;
          obj = obj.offsetParent;
        }
    else if(obj.y)
        curtop += obj.y;
    return curtop;
  }
  
  function getPos(inputElement) {
    var coords =  new Object();
    coords.x = 0;
    coords.y = 0;
    try {
        targetElement = inputElement;
        if(targetElement.x && targetElement.y) {
            coords.x = targetElement.x;
            coords.y = targetElement.y;
        } else {
            if(targetElement.offsetParent) {
                coords.x += targetElement.offsetLeft;
                coords.y += targetElement.offsetTop;
                while(targetElement = targetElement.offsetParent) {
                    coords.x += targetElement.offsetLeft;
                    coords.y += targetElement.offsetTop;
                }
            } else {
                //alert("Could not find any reference for coordinate positioning.");
            }
        }
        return coords;
    } catch(error) {
        //alert(error.msg);
        return coords;
    }
}

function getX(obj){
        return obj.offsetLeft + (obj.offsetParent ? getX(obj.offsetParent) : obj.x ? obj.x : 0);
    }        
    function getY(obj){
        return (obj.offsetParent ? obj.offsetTop + getY(obj.offsetParent) : obj.y ? obj.y : 0);
    }