////------------------------------------------------------ get query string parameters value

function getQueryParameter(param)
{
    param = param.replace(/[\[]/,"\\\[").replace(/[\]]/,"\\\]");
    var regexS = "[\\?&]"+param+"=([^&#]*)";
    var regex = new RegExp( regexS );
    var results = regex.exec( window.location.href );
    if( results == null )
        return "";
    else
        return results[1];
}

////------------------------------------------------------ element style manipulation

function setOpacity(elem, value)
{
    elem.style.opacity = value; // FF
    elem.style.filter = "alpha(opacity = " + (value*100) + ")"; // IE
}

function clearOpacity(elem)
{
    elem.style.opacity = "1";
    elem.style.filter = "alpha(opacity = 100)";
}

function setClass(elem, className)
{
    elem.setAttribute("class", className);
    elem.setAttribute("className", className);     
}

function setBackground(elem, url)
{
    elem.style.backgroundImage = "url('" + url + "')";
}

function setInnerText(elem, txtStr)
{
    elem.removeChild(elem.firstChild);
    elem.appendChild(document.createTextNode(txtStr));
}