function createCookie(name,value,days)
{ 	//alert("setting cookie " + name + " to " + value);
if (days)
	{ 
		var date = new Date();
		date.setTime(date.getTime()+(days*24*60*60*1000));
		var expires = "; expires="+date.toGMTString();
	}
	else var expires = "";
	//alert(name+"="+value+"; "+expires+"; path=/");
	document.cookie = name+"="+value+"; "+expires+"; path=/";
	//alert("cookie " + name + " is set to " + readCookie(name));
}

function readCookie(name)
{
	var nameEQ = name + "=";
	var ca = document.cookie.split(';');
	for(var i=0;i < ca.length;i++)
	{
		var c = ca[i];
		while (c.charAt(0)==' ') c = c.substring(1,c.length);
		if (c.indexOf(nameEQ) == 0) return c.substring(nameEQ.length,c.length);
	}
	return null;
}

var loadingImage = false;
function loadImage(imageName)
{	
	var cookieName = imageName + "Cookie";
  	var cookieValue = readCookie(cookieName);
  	//calert(cookieName + "is set to " + cookieValue);
  	var fileToLoad;
  	if (cookieValue) {
  		fileToLoad = "pix/icons/" + imageName + "_visited.gif";
 	 }else{
  		fileToLoad = "pix/icons/" + imageName + "_normal.gif";
  	}
  	//alert("fil to load = " + fileToLoad);
  	if ((!document.images) || loadingImage) return;
  	loadingImage = true;
   	document.images[imageName].src = fileToLoad;
  	loadingImage = false;
  	
}

function changeImage(imageName, imageFile) 
{
	var cookieName = imageName + "Cookie";
	var cookieValue = readCookie(cookieName);
	if (document.images && (preloadFlag == true)) {
		document.images[imageName].src = imageFile; 
	}
		
}



function newImage(arg) {
	if (document.images) {
		rslt = new Image();
		rslt.src = arg;
		return rslt;
	}
}