// 14-09-2006 - AL - created this class to hide a div if its visible
// this function changes the visibility of advanced features between hidden/visible
function hideDiv(div_id)
{
  var style_sheet = getStyleObject(div_id);
  if (style_sheet)
  {
    hideObject(div_id);
  }
}

// function getStyleObject(string) -> returns style object given a string containing the id of an object
//  the function returns the stylesheet of that object or false if it can't find a stylesheet.  Handles
//  cross-browser compatibility issues.

function getStyle(objectId) {
  // checkW3C DOM, then MSIE 4, then NN 4.

  if(document.getElementById && document.getElementById(objectId)) {
	return document.getElementById(objectId).style;
   }
   else if (document.all && document.all(objectId)) {  
	return document.all(objectId).style;
   } 
   else if (document.layers && document.layers[objectId]) { 
	return document.layers[objectId];
   } else {
	return false;
   }
}

function hideObject(objectId) {
    // first get a reference to the cross-browser style object and make sure the object exists
    var styleObject = getStyle(objectId);
    if(styleObject) {
	if (styleObject.visibility == 'visible'){
 		styleObject.visibility = "hidden";
		styleObject.position = "absolute";
	}
	return true;
    } else {
	// we couldn't find the object, so we can't change its visibility
	return false;
    }
}