function createXmlHttpRequestObject()
{
    var xmlHttp;
    
    if (window.ActiveXObject)
    {
        try
        {
            xmlHttp = new ActiveXObject('Microsoft.XMLHTTP');
        }
        
        catch (e)
        {
            xmlHttp = false;
        }
    }
    else
    {
        try
        {
            xmlHttp = new XMLHttpRequest();
        }
        
        catch (e)
        {
            xmlHttp = false;
        }
    }
    
    if (!xmlHttp)
    {
        alert('Error creating the XMLHttpRequest object.');
    }
    else
    {
        return xmlHttp;
    }
}
var xmlHttp = createXmlHttpRequestObject();

function ready_to_process()
{
    if (xmlHttp.readyState == 4)
    {
        if (xmlHttp.status == 200)
        {
            return true;
        }
    }
    return false;
}

function ready_to_accept()
{
    if (xmlHttp.readyState == 4 || xmlHttp.readyState == 0)
    {
        return true;
    }
    return false;
}

function create_post_query(form)
{
    var aElements = form.elements;
    var aPairs = new Array();
    
    for (var i = 0; i < aElements.length; i++)
    {
        if ((name = aElements[i].name) && (value = aElements[i].value))
        {
            aPairs.push(name + '=' + encodeURIComponent(value));
        }
    }
    return aPairs.join('&');
}