function getCookieVal (offset) {
	var endstr = document.cookie.indexOf (";", offset);
	if (endstr == -1) endstr = document.cookie.length;
	return unescape(document.cookie.substring(offset, endstr));
}

/*
Function to return the value of the cookie specified by "name".
name - String object containing the cookie name.
returns - String object containing the cookie value, or null if
the cookie does not exist.
*/
function getCookie(name) {
	var arg = name + "=";
	var alen = arg.length;
	var clen = document.cookie.length;
	var i = 0;
	while (i < clen) {
		var j = i + alen;
		if (document.cookie.substring(i, j) == arg) return getCookieVal (j);
		i = document.cookie.indexOf(" ", i) + 1;
		if (i == 0) break;
	}
	return null;
}

/*
Function to create or update a cookie.
name - String object containing the cookie name.
value - String object containing the cookie value.  May contain any valid string characters.
[expires] - Date object containing the expiration data of the cookie.  If omitted or null, expires the cookie at the end of the current session.
[path] - String object indicating the path for which the cookie is valid. If omitted or null, uses the path of the calling document.
[domain] - String object indicating the domain for which the cookie is valid.  If omitted or null, uses the domain of the calling document.
[secure] - Boolean (true/false) value indicating whether cookie transmission requires a secure channel (HTTPS).  
The first two parameters are required.  The others, if supplied, must
be passed in the order listed above.  To omit an unused optional field,
use null as a place holder.  For example, to call setCookie using name,
value and path, you would code:

setCookie ("myCookieName", "myCookieValue", null, "/");

Note that trailing omitted parameters do not require a placeholder.
To set a secure cookie for path "/myPath", that expires after the
current session, you might code:

setCookie (myCookieVar, cookieValueVar, null, "/myPath", null, true);
*/
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" : "");
}

/*
Function to delete a cookie. (Sets expiration date to start of epoch)
  name -   String object containing the cookie name
  path -   String object containing the path of the cookie to delete.  This MUST
           be the same as the path used to create the cookie, or null/omitted if
           no path was specified when creating the cookie.
  domain - String object containing the domain of the cookie to delete.  This MUST
           be the same as the domain used to create the cookie, or null/omitted if
           no domain was specified when creating the 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";
	}
}

/*
Examples

var expdate = new Date ();
FixCookieDate (expdate); // Correct for Mac date bug - call only once for given Date object!
expdate.setTime (expdate.getTime() + (24 * 60 * 60 * 1000)); // 24 hrs from now 
setCookie ("ccpath", "http://www.hidaho.com/colorcenter/", expdate);
setCookie ("ccname", "hIdaho Design ColorCenter", expdate);
setCookie ("tempvar", "This is a temporary cookie.");
setCookie ("ubiquitous", "This cookie will work anywhere in this domain",null,"/");
setCookie ("paranoid", "This cookie requires secure communications",expdate,"/",null,true);
setCookie ("goner", "This cookie must die!");
document.write (document.cookie + "<br>");
DeleteCookie ("goner");
document.write (document.cookie + "<br>");
document.write ("ccpath = " + getCookie("ccpath") + "<br>");
document.write ("ccname = " + getCookie("ccname") + "<br>");
document.write ("tempvar = " + getCookie("tempvar") + "<br>");
*/