function ajax(action, data){
	var request = new Request({
		method : 'post',
		url : '/ajax_control.php',
		async : false,
		onSuccess : function(responseTree){
			result = responseTree;
		}
	});
	request.send('action='+action+(data?'&'+data:''));
	return(result);
}

function purify(data){
	data = data.replace(/&/g, 'amp;');
	data = data.replace(/%/g, 'perc;');
	return data;
}
function is_numeric(value){
	if ((isNaN(value)) || (value.length == 0))
		return 0;
	else
		return 1;
}
function imposeMaxLength(Object, MaxLen){
  return (Object.value.length <= MaxLen);
}

function default_check(str, def){
	if( str == def )
		return '';
	else
		return str;
}

function blank_check(str, def){
	if( str == '' )
		return def;
	else
		return str;
}