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));
}

function fixDate(date) {
    var base = new Date(0);
    var skew = base.getTime();
    if (skew > 0)
        date.setTime(date.getTime() - skew);
}

function setCookie(name, value, expires, path, domain, secure) {
    path = "/";
    var curCookie = name + "=" + escape(value) +
    ((expires) ? "; expires=" + expires.toGMTString() : "") +
    ((path) ? "; path=" + path : "") +
    ((domain) ? "; domain=" + domain : "") +
    ((secure) ? "; secure" : "");
    document.cookie = curCookie;
}


function switch_on_off(obj) {
	//window.alert(document.getElementById(obj).value);
	//new Effect.SwitchOff(document.getElementById('login-box'), {duration:8.0});
	var now = new Date();
	fixDate(now);
	now.setTime(now.getTime() + 365 * 24 * 60 * 60 * 1000);
    if(Element.visible(obj)) {
        new Effect.SwitchOff(document.getElementById(obj), {duration:8.0});
        /*if(menu != null) {
			Element.hide(menu+'_collapse');
			Element.show(menu+'_expand');
		}*/
		setCookie (obj,"off",now);
        return false;
    }
    else {
        new Effect.Appear(document.getElementById(obj));
		/*if(menu != null) {
			Element.hide(menu+'_expand');
			Element.show(menu+'_collapse');
		}*/
		setCookie (obj,"on",now);
        return false;
    }
}

function load_on_off_switch(obj) {
    if(getCookie(obj) == "on") {
        return false;
    }
    else {
        Element.hide(obj);
        return false;
    }
}