var id2='';

function makeRequest(url, parameters, id) {
	//alert(url + parameters + id);

	id = id || '';
	id2 = id;
	//if (empty(parameters) && empty(id)){ return false; }

	//parameters = parameters.replace(/&/g,"%26");//&

	http_request = false;
	if (window.ActiveXObject) { // IE
		try {
			http_request = new ActiveXObject("Msxml2.XMLHTTP");
		} catch (e) {
			try {
				http_request = new ActiveXObject("Microsoft.XMLHTTP");
			} catch (e) {}
		}
	} else if (window.XMLHttpRequest) {// Mozilla, Safari,...xmlHttpReq.overrideMimeType
		http_request = new XMLHttpRequest();
		if (http_request.overrideMimeType) {
			// set type accordingly to anticipated content type
			http_request.overrideMimeType('text/xml');
		}else{ alert('Did not create *http_request.overrideMimeType*'); return false; }
	} 

	if (!http_request) {

		alert('Cannot create XMLHTTP instance');
		return false;

	}

	// FOR GET VARS
	if (!empty(id)) { var token = '&id=' + id; }
	else{ var token = ''; }

	// FOR POST VARS
	//http_request.open('POST', url, true);
	//http_request.send(parameters);

	// FOR GET VARS
	//alert(url + parameters);
	http_request.open('GET', url + parameters + token, true);
	http_request.send(null);
	http_request.onreadystatechange = alertContents;
	
}

function alertContents() {
	if (http_request.readyState == 4) {
	 if (http_request.status == 200) {
		//alert(http_request.responseText);
		result = http_request.responseText;
		document.getElementById('myspan').innerHTML = result;
	 } else {
		//alert('There was a problem with the request.');
	 }
	}
}


/*	this function calls a page that gets a value from the db then displays it in the text area.	*/
/*	var field_name = dynamic search field to effect	*/
/*	var search_id = id or search value	*/
function getData(field_name,search_id,step,num){ 
	
	//alert(field_name+search_id);

	var req = null;
    var input = document.getElementById(field_name);
	input.value = "Started...";

	var req; 
	try
	{
		req = new XMLHttpRequest();
	}
	catch (e1)
	{ 
		// Internet Explorer Browsers
		try
		{ 
			req = new ActiveXObject("Msxml2.XMLHTTP");
		}
		catch (e2) 
		{ 
			
			try
			{ 
				req = new ActiveXObject("Microsoft.XMLHTTP");
			}
			catch (e3)
			{ 
				return false;
			}
		}
	}

	req.onreadystatechange = function()
	{
		input.value = "";
		if(req.readyState == 4)
		{
			if(req.status == 200)
			{
				input.value = req.responseText;
			}
			else
			{
				input.value = "Error: returned status code " + req.status + " " + req.statusText;
			}
		}
	};
	req.open("GET", "../cart/ajax_get_data.php?search_id="+search_id+"&field_name="+field_name, true);
	req.setRequestHeader("Content-Type", "application/x-www-form-urlencoded");
	req.send(null);
}