function get_cookie ( check_name )
{
  	var a_all_cookies = document.cookie.split( ';' );
	var a_temp_cookie = '';
	var cookie_name = '';
	var cookie_value = '';
	var b_cookie_found = false; // set boolean t/f default f

	for ( i = 0; i < a_all_cookies.length; i++ )
	{
		// now we'll split apart each name=value pair
		a_temp_cookie = a_all_cookies[i].split( '=' );

		// and trim left/right whitespace while we're at it
		cookie_name = a_temp_cookie[0].replace(/^\s+|\s+$/g, '');

		// if the extracted name matches passed check_name
		if ( cookie_name == check_name )
		{
			b_cookie_found = true;
			// we need to handle case where cookie has no value but exists (no = sign, that is):
			if ( a_temp_cookie.length > 1 )
			{
				cookie_value = unescape( a_temp_cookie[1].replace(/^\s+|\s+$/g, '') );
			}
			// note that in cases where cookie is initialized but no value, null is returned
			return cookie_value;
			break;
		}
		a_temp_cookie = null;
		cookie_name = '';
	}

	if ( !b_cookie_found )
	{
		return null;
	}
}

//function delete_cookie ( cookie_name )
//{
  //var cookie_date = new Date ( );  // current date & time
  //cookie_date.setTime ( cookie_date.getTime() - 1 );
  //document.cookie = cookie_name += "=; expires=" + cookie_date.toGMTString();
//}

function delete_cookie( name, path, domain ) {
if ( get_cookie( name ) ) document.cookie = name + "=" +
( ( path ) ? ";path=" + path : "") +
( ( domain ) ? ";domain=" + domain : "" ) +
";expires=Thu, 01-Jan-1970 00:00:01 GMT";
}

function set_cookie ( name, value, exp_y, exp_m, exp_d, path, domain, secure )
{
  var cookie_string = name + "=" + escape ( value );
  path = "/";
  if ( exp_y )
  {
    var expires = new Date ( exp_y, exp_m, exp_d );
    cookie_string += "; expires=" + expires.toGMTString();
  }

  if ( path )
        cookie_string += "; path=" + escape ( path );

  if ( domain )
        cookie_string += "; domain=" + escape ( domain );
  
  if ( secure )
        cookie_string += "; secure";
  
  document.cookie = cookie_string;
}