function createRequest() {
  var request = null;
  try {
    request = new XMLHttpRequest();
  } catch (trymicrosoft) {
    try {
      request = new ActiveXObject("Msxml2.XMLHTTP");
    } catch (othermicrosoft) {
      try {
        request = new ActiveXObject("Microsoft.XMLHTTP");
      } catch (failed) {
        request = null;
      }
    }
  }

  if (request == null) {
    alert("Error creating request object!");
  } else {
    return request;
  }
}

// var request1 = createRequest();
// var request2 = createRequest();
var request = createRequest();

// universal mandatory field marker
function manDisplay(){
	asterix = document.createTextNode("*");
	mandatoryMarker = document.createElement("span");
	mandatoryMarker.setAttribute("class","mandatory");
	mandatoryMarker.setAttribute("className","mandatory");		
	mandatoryMarker.appendChild(asterix);
}

function createLoadingDiv(){
	var formarea = document.getElementById("formarea");

	newTable = document.createElement("table");
	newTable.setAttribute("border","0");
	newTable.setAttribute("width","100%");
	newTable.setAttribute("cellSpacing","0");
	newTable.setAttribute("cellPadding","0");
	newTable.setAttribute("id","formTable");

	newTbody = document.createElement("tbody");

	newRow = document.createElement("tr");
	newRow.setAttribute("vAlign","top");
			newCol = document.createElement("td");
			newCol.setAttribute("align","center");
			newCol.setAttribute("colSpan","2");

			newImg = document.createElement("img");
			newImg.setAttribute("align","center");
			newImg.setAttribute("src","../images/loading.gif");
			newImg.setAttribute("border","0");
			newImg.setAttribute("height","32");
			newImg.setAttribute("width","32");
			newImg.setAttribute("hspace","10");
			newTxt = document.createTextNode("Loading...");
			newCol.appendChild(newImg);
			newCol.appendChild(newTxt);

		newRow.appendChild(newCol);
	newTbody.appendChild(newRow);
/*
	// add some blank rows
	for (var i=0;i<15;i++){
		newRow = document.createElement("tr");
		newRow.setAttribute("vAlign","top");
				newCol = document.createElement("td");
				newCol.setAttribute("align","left");
				newCol.setAttribute("colSpan","2");	
				newTxt = document.createTextNode("\u00A0");
				newCol.appendChild(newTxt);
			newRow.appendChild(newCol);
		newTbody.appendChild(newRow);
	}
*/
	newTable.appendChild(newTbody);

	if (document.getElementById("formTable")){
		formarea.replaceChild(newTable,formarea.firstChild);
	}else{
		formarea.appendChild(newTable);
	}


	// Populate 'back' and 'continue' buttons
	document.getElementById("backButton").style.visibility = "hidden";
	document.getElementById("continueButton").style.visibility = "hidden";
}

function createHiddenFields(){
	if (!document.getElementById("hiddenFields")){

		newSpan = document.createElement("span");
		newSpan.setAttribute("id","hiddenFields");	

		newHidden = document.createElement("input");
		newHidden.setAttribute("type","hidden");
		newHidden.setAttribute("name","course_");
		newHidden.setAttribute("id","course_");
		newSpan.appendChild(newHidden);

		newHidden = document.createElement("input");
		newHidden.setAttribute("type","hidden");
		newHidden.setAttribute("name","firstname_");
		newHidden.setAttribute("id","firstname_");
		newSpan.appendChild(newHidden);

		newHidden = document.createElement("input");
		newHidden.setAttribute("type","hidden");
		newHidden.setAttribute("name","surname_");
		newHidden.setAttribute("id","surname_");
		newSpan.appendChild(newHidden);

		newHidden = document.createElement("input");
		newHidden.setAttribute("type","hidden");
		newHidden.setAttribute("name","address1_");
		newHidden.setAttribute("id","address1_");
		newSpan.appendChild(newHidden);

		newHidden = document.createElement("input");
		newHidden.setAttribute("type","hidden");
		newHidden.setAttribute("name","address2_");
		newHidden.setAttribute("id","address2_");
		newSpan.appendChild(newHidden);

		newHidden = document.createElement("input");
		newHidden.setAttribute("type","hidden");
		newHidden.setAttribute("name","city_");
		newHidden.setAttribute("id","city_");
		newSpan.appendChild(newHidden);

		newHidden = document.createElement("input");
		newHidden.setAttribute("type","hidden");
		newHidden.setAttribute("name","postcode_");
		newHidden.setAttribute("id","postcode_");
		newSpan.appendChild(newHidden);

		newHidden = document.createElement("input");
		newHidden.setAttribute("type","hidden");
		newHidden.setAttribute("name","contact_tel_");
		newHidden.setAttribute("id","contact_tel_");
		newSpan.appendChild(newHidden);

		newHidden = document.createElement("input");
		newHidden.setAttribute("type","hidden");
		newHidden.setAttribute("name","email_");
		newHidden.setAttribute("id","email_");
		newSpan.appendChild(newHidden);
	
		newHidden = document.createElement("input");
		newHidden.setAttribute("type","hidden");
		newHidden.setAttribute("name","howhear_");
		newHidden.setAttribute("id","howhear_");
		newSpan.appendChild(newHidden);

		newHidden = document.createElement("input");
		newHidden.setAttribute("type","hidden");
		newHidden.setAttribute("name","howhearFurther_");
		newHidden.setAttribute("id","howhearFurther_");
		newSpan.appendChild(newHidden);

		newHidden = document.createElement("input");
		newHidden.setAttribute("type","hidden");
		newHidden.setAttribute("name","aims_");
		newHidden.setAttribute("id","aims_");
		newSpan.appendChild(newHidden);

		newHidden = document.createElement("input");
		newHidden.setAttribute("type","hidden");
		newHidden.setAttribute("name","fitness_");
		newHidden.setAttribute("id","fitness_");
		newSpan.appendChild(newHidden);

		newHidden = document.createElement("input");
		newHidden.setAttribute("type","hidden");
		newHidden.setAttribute("name","equipment_");
		newHidden.setAttribute("id","equipment_");
		newSpan.appendChild(newHidden);

		newHidden = document.createElement("input");
		newHidden.setAttribute("type","hidden");
		newHidden.setAttribute("name","equipmentFurther_");
		newHidden.setAttribute("id","equipmentFurther_");
		newSpan.appendChild(newHidden);

		newHidden = document.createElement("input");
		newHidden.setAttribute("type","hidden");
		newHidden.setAttribute("name","experience_");
		newHidden.setAttribute("id","experience_");
		newSpan.appendChild(newHidden);


		// add to page
		document.getElementById("fieldCol").appendChild(newSpan);
	}
}