function validateEmpty(fld,name) {
    var error = "";

    if (fld.value.length == 0) {
        fld.style.background = 'Yellow';
        error = "The required field '"+name+"' has not been filled in.\n"
    } else {
        fld.style.background = 'White';
    }
    return error;
}
function trim(s)
{
  return s.replace(/^\s+|\s+$/, '');
}
function validateEmail(fld) {
    var error="";
    var tfld = trim(fld.value);                        // value of field with whitespace trimmed off
    var emailFilter = /^[^@]+@[^@.]+\.[^@]*\w\w$/ ;
    var illegalChars= /[\(\)\<\>\,\;\:\\\"\[\]]/ ;

    if (fld.value == "") {
        fld.style.background = 'Yellow';
        error = "You did not enter an email address.\n";
    } else if (!emailFilter.test(tfld)) {              //test email for illegal characters
        fld.style.background = 'Yellow';
        error = "Please enter a valid email address.\n";
    } else if (fld.value.match(illegalChars)) {
        fld.style.background = 'Yellow';
        error = "The email address contains illegal characters.\n";
    } else {
        fld.style.background = 'White';
    }
    return error;
}
function validatePhone(fld) {
    var error = "";
    var stripped = fld.value.replace(/[\(\)\.\-\ ]/g, '');

   if (fld.value == "") {
        error = "You did not enter a phone number.\n";
        fld.style.background = 'Yellow';
    } else if (isNaN(parseInt(stripped))) {
        error = "The phone number contains illegal characters.\n";
        fld.style.background = 'Yellow';
    } else if (!(stripped.length == 10)) {
        error = "The phone number is the wrong length. Make sure you included an area code.\n";
        fld.style.background = 'Yellow';
    }
    return error;
}
function limitText(limitField, limitNum) {
    if (limitField.value.length > limitNum) {
        limitField.value = limitField.value.substring(0, limitNum);
    } 
}