/*
setCookie:  Creates a new cookie.  Overwrites existing cookies of the same name.
	Attributes:
		name - name of the cookie
		value - value of the cookie
		[expires] - expiration date of the cookie (defaults to end of current session)
		[path] - path for which the cookie is valid (defaults to path of calling document)
		[domain] - domain for which the cookie is valid (defaults to domain of calling document)
		[secure] - Boolean value indicating if the cookie transmission requires a secure transmission
	Notes:
	- an argument defaults when it is assigned null as a placeholder
	- a null placeholder is not required for trailing omitted arguments
*/
function setCookie(name, value, expires, path, domain, secure) {
	var curCookie = name + "=" + escape(value) +
		((expires) ? "; expires=" + expires.toGMTString() : "") +
		((path) ? "; path=" + path : "") +
		((domain) ? "; domain=" + domain : "") +
		((secure) ? "; secure" : "");
	document.cookie = curCookie;
}

/*
getCookie:  Returns a string containing the value of the specified cookie, or null
			if the cookie does not exist
	Attributes:
		name - name of the desired cookie
*/
function getCookie(name) {
	var dc = document.cookie;
	var prefix = name + "=";
	var begin = dc.indexOf("; " + prefix);
	if (begin == -1) {
		begin = dc.indexOf(prefix);
		if (begin != 0) {
			return null
		};
	} else {
		begin += 2;
	}
	var end = document.cookie.indexOf(";", begin);
	if (end == -1) {
		end = dc.length;
	}
	return unescape(dc.substring(begin + prefix.length, end));
}

/*
deleteCookie:  Deletes a cookie
	Attributes:
		name - name of the cookie
		[path] - path of the cookie (must be same as path used to create cookie)
		[domain] - domain of the cookie (must be same as domain used to create cookie)
	Notes:
	- path and domain default if assigned null or omitted if no explicit argument proceeds
*/
function deleteCookie(name, path, domain) {
	var expires = new Date();
	expires.setTime(expires.getTime() - 1);
	if (getCookie(name)) {
		document.cookie = name + "=" + 
		((path) ? "; path=" + path : "") +
		((domain) ? "; domain=" + domain : "") +
		"; expires=" + expires.toGMTString();
	}
}

/*
fixDate:  Pass all instances of the Date object to this function for "repairs".
	Attributes:
		date - any instance of the Date object
*/
function fixDate(date) {
	var base = new Date(0);
	var skew = base.getTime();
	if (skew > 0) {
		date.setTime(date.getTime() - skew);
	}
}