//=============================================================================
//                          STRING FUNCTIONS
//=============================================================================
// Removes leading whitespaces
function LTrim( value ) {
	var re = /\s*((\S+\s*)*)/;
	return value.replace(re, "$1");
}

// Removes ending whitespaces
function RTrim( value ) {
	var re = /((\s*\S+)*)\s*/;
	return value.replace(re, "$1");
}

// Removes leading and ending whitespaces
function trim( value ) {
	return LTrim(RTrim(value));
}

function Left(str, n){
   if (n <= 0)
         return "";
   else if (n > String(str).length)
         return str;
   else
         return String(str).substring(0,n);
}


function InStr(strSearch, charSearchFor)
/*
InStr(strSearch, charSearchFor) : Returns the first location a substring (SearchForStr)
                           was found in the string str.  (If the character is not
                           found, -1 is returned.)

Requires use of:
	Mid function
	Len function
*/
{
	for (i=0; i < Len(strSearch); i++)
	{
	    if (charSearchFor == Mid(strSearch, i, 1))
	    {
			return i;
	    }
	}
	return -1;
}

/*
Mid(string, start, length): Returns a specified number of characters from a
                            string
============================================================================
*/
function Mid(str, start, len)
/***
        IN: str - the string we are LEFTing
            start - our string's starting position (0 based!!)
            len - how many characters from start we want to get

        RETVAL: The substring from start to start+len
***/
{
        // Make sure start and len are within proper bounds
        if (start < 0 || len < 0) return "";

        var iEnd, iLen = String(str).length;
        if (start + len > iLen)
                iEnd = iLen;
        else
                iEnd = start + len;

        return String(str).substring(start,iEnd);
}

// Keep in mind that strings in JavaScript are zero-based, so if you ask
// for Mid("Hello",1,1), you will get "e", not "H".  To get "H", you would
// simply type in Mid("Hello",0,1)

// You can alter the above function so that the string is one-based.  Just
// check to make sure start is not <= 0, alter the iEnd = start + len to
// iEnd = (start - 1) + len, and in your final return statement, just
// return ...substring(start-1,iEnd)

/*Len(String) : Returns the number of characters in a string
===========================================================*/

function Len(str)
/***
        IN: str - the string whose length we are interested in

        RETVAL: The number of characters in the string
***/
{  return String(str).length;  }