// retrieve cookie by name
function retrieveCookie( cookieName ) {
	var cookieJar = document.cookie.split( "; " );
	for( var x = 0; x < cookieJar.length; x++ ) {
		var oneCookie = cookieJar[x].split( "=" );
		if( oneCookie[0] == escape( cookieName ) ) { return oneCookie[1] ? unescape( oneCookie[1] ) : ''; }
	}
	return null;
}

// store cookie value with optional details as needed
function setCookie( cookieName, cookieValue, lifeTime, path, domain, isSecure ) {
	if( !cookieName ) { return false; }
	var theCookie=escape( cookieName ) + "=" + escape( cookieValue ) +
		( lifeTime ? ";expires=" + ( new Date( ( new Date() ).getTime() + ( 1000 * lifeTime ) ) ).toGMTString() : "" ) +
		( path ? ";path=" + path : "") + ( domain ? ";domain=" + domain : "") + 
		( isSecure ? ";secure" : "");
	if( lifeTime == "delete" ) { lifeTime = -10; } // this is in the past. Expires immediately.
	/* This next line sets the cookie but does not overwrite other cookies.
	syntax: cookieName=cookieValue[;expires=dataAsString[;path=pathAsString[;domain=domainAsString[;secure]]]] */
        document.cookie = escape( cookieName ) + "=" + escape( cookieValue ) +
		( lifeTime ? ";expires=" + ( new Date( ( new Date() ).getTime() + ( 1000 * lifeTime ) ) ).toGMTString() : "" ) +
		( path ? ";path=" + path : "") + ( domain ? ";domain=" + domain : "") + 
		( isSecure ? ";secure" : "");
	//check if the cookie has been set/deleted as required
	if( lifeTime < 0 ) { if( typeof( retrieveCookie( cookieName ) ) == "string" ) { return false; } return true; }
	if( typeof( retrieveCookie( cookieName ) ) == "string" ) { return true; } return false; 
}

// remove the cookie by setting ancient expiration date
function deleteCookie(name,path,domain) {
    if (retrieveCookie(name)) {
        document.cookie = name + "=" +
            ((path) ? "; path=" + path : "") +
            ((domain) ? "; domain=" + domain : "") +
            "; expires=Thu, 01-Jan-70 00:00:01 GMT";
    }
}