/**
 * Sets a Cookie with the given name and value.
 *
 * name       Name of the cookie
 * value      Value of the cookie
 * [expires]  Expiration date of the cookie (default: end of current session)
 * [path]     Path where the cookie is valid (default: path of calling document)
 * [domain]   Domain where the cookie is valid
 *              (default: domain of calling document)
 * [secure]   Boolean value indicating if the cookie transmission requires a
 *              secure transmission
 */
function setCookie(name, value, expires, path, domain, secure) {
  document.cookie= name + "=" + escape(value) +
    ((expires) ? "; expires=" + expires.toGMTString() : "") +
    ((path) ? "; path=" + path : "") +
    ((domain) ? "; domain=" + domain : "") +
    ((secure) ? "; secure" : "");
}

/**
 * Gets the value of the specified cookie.
 *
 * name  Name of the desired cookie.
 *
 * Returns a string containing value of specified cookie,
 *   or null if cookie does not exist.
 */
function getCookie(name) {
  var dc = document.cookie;
  var prefix = name + "=";
  var begin = dc.indexOf("; " + prefix);
  if (begin == -1) {
    begin = dc.indexOf(prefix);
    if (begin != 0) return null;
  } else {
    begin += 2;
  }
  var end = document.cookie.indexOf(";", begin);
  if (end == -1) {
    end = dc.length;
  }
  return unescape(dc.substring(begin + prefix.length, end));
}

/**
 * Deletes the specified cookie.
 *
 * name      name of the cookie
 * [path]    path of the cookie (must be same as path used to create cookie)
 * [domain]  domain of the cookie (must be same as domain used to create cookie)
 */
function deleteCookie(name, path, domain) {
  if (getCookie(name)) {
    document.cookie = name + "=" + 
      ((path) ? "; path=" + path : "") +
      ((domain) ? "; domain=" + domain : "") +
      "; expires=Thu, 01-Jan-70 00:00:01 GMT";
  }
}

/* -- BASIC COOKIE MANIPULATION METHODS -- */
/* -- might be unuseful -- */

function createCookie(name,value,days)
{
	if (days)
	{
		var date = new Date();
		date.setTime(date.getTime()+(days*24*60*60*1000));
		var expires = "; expires="+date.toGMTString();
	}
	else var expires = "";
	document.cookie = name+"="+value+expires+"; path=/";
}

function readCookie(name)
{
	var nameEQ = name + "=";
	var ca = document.cookie.split(';');
	for(var i=0;i < ca.length;i++)
	{
		var c = ca[i];
		while (c.charAt(0)==' ') c = c.substring(1,c.length);
		if (c.indexOf(nameEQ) == 0) return c.substring(nameEQ.length,c.length);
	}
	return null;
}

function eraseCookie(name)
{
	createCookie(name,"",-1);
}