var bites = document.cookie.split("; "); 
var tday = new Date();
var expiry = new Date(tday.getTime() + 360 * 24 * 60 * 60 * 1000); // plus 360 days
function getCookie(name) { 
if(name.indexOf(" ") >=0 || name.indexOf(";")>=0){
	alert("error bad element name- "+name)
	return "";
	}
    for (var i=0; i < bites.length; i++) {
      nextbite = bites[i].split("="); 
      if (nextbite[0] == name)
        return unescape(nextbite[1]); 
    }
    return "";
}
function setCookie(name, value) {
if(name.indexOf(" ") >=0 || name.indexOf(";")>=0){
	alert("error bad element name- "+name)
	return false
	}
    if (value != null && value != "")
      document.cookie=name + "=" + escape(value) + "; path=/; expires=" + expiry.toGMTString();
    bites = document.cookie.split("; ");
}

function deleteCookie(n){
	var expire = new Date(tday.getTime() - 360 * (24 * 60 * 60 * 1000));
	document.cookie=n+"=" + escape("") +"; path=/; expires="+expire.toGMTString();
	bites = document.cookie.split("; ");
}

// cookie/persistent data system 

var DATASET="tgen"	//product name  Auction Construction Set
var pData=new Array()

var t=getCookie(DATASET);
var p=t.split("|");
for(i=0;i < p.length-1;i++){		// ignore last nul record
  var a=p[i].split("=");			// split sub records n=v
  pData[a[0]]=a[1];
}

function setData(n,v){			//sets name=value
  if(n!=""){
    pData[n]=v;						// sets local copy
    var t=new String("");
	  for(n in pData){			// add sort
        t+=n+"="+pData[n]+"|";	// build cookie string
      }
    setCookie(DATASET,t);		// saves for later
  }
}

function getData(n){
	if(pData[n]){
		return pData[n]
	}else{
		return ""
	}
}