//* HELPER FUNCTIONS FOR USER INTERFACE

function buildMenu(obj) {
		var p = document.createElement("p");

		p.innerHTML = "<tr>Loading...</tr>";
		//SHOW LOADING STATUS IN MENU
		if (_browser.ie6() == true || _browser.ie7() == true) {	p.setAttribute("className", "loading_text");	}
		else {	p.setAttribute("class", "loading_text");	}
		obj.appendChild(p);
		//BUILD SERVICES MENU
		var table = document.createElement("table");
		var tbody = document.createElement("tbody");	//tbody is a must-have for tables to display in ie 6/7

		if (obj.id == 'counties_table_container') {
    		myAjax.getCountyHits(tbody);
            table.appendChild(tbody);
		}

		if (obj.id == 'services_table_container') {
			var tr = document.createElement("tr");
			var tdServiceName = document.createElement("td");

			//BUILD THE 'SERVICES' MENU from global _arrServices
			if (obj.id == "services_table_container") {
				table.setAttribute("id", "services_table");
				for (var i=0; i < _arrServices.length; i++) {
					if (document.getElementById('services_menu').innerHTML != _arrServices[i]) {
						tr = document.createElement("tr");
						tdServiceName = document.createElement("td");

						var a = document.createElement("a");
						a.setAttribute('href', 'javascript:handleMenuSel("q4_'+ (i+1) +'")');
						a.innerHTML = _arrServices[i];

						myAjax.getServiceHits("q4_"+(i+1), tr);	//get number of hits in each category, append when ASync request returns

						tdServiceName.appendChild(a);
						tr.appendChild(tdServiceName);
						tbody.appendChild(tr);	//again, this is essential for IE
						table.appendChild(tbody);
					}
				}
			}
		}
		clearMenu(obj);
		obj.appendChild(table);
	}

function clearMenu(obj) {
		obj.innerHTML = "&nbsp;";
	}

function menuPatchIE7(obj) {
		toggleVisible('search_container', false);
		toggleVisible('results_container', false);
		if (obj.id == 'services_menu' || obj.id == 'menu0') {	toggleVisible('county_container', false);	}
	}

function toggleVisible(elem, bVisible, sDisplay) {
	try {
		var obj = document.getElementById(elem);
		obj.style.visibility = (bVisible == true) ? "visible" : "hidden";
		if (sDisplay != "") { obj.style.display = sDisplay; };
	} catch (e) {}
}

function trimAll(sString) {
	try {
		while (sString.substring(0,1) == ' ') {
			sString = sString.substring(1, sString.length);
		}
		while (sString.substring(sString.length-1, sString.length) == ' ') {
			sString = sString.substring(0,sString.length-1);
		}
		return sString;

	} catch (e) { }
}

function validate(sString) {
	return encodeURIComponent(sString);
}