// function for retrieving a cookie.
function getCookie(name){
	var cname = name + "=";
	var dc = document.cookie;
	if (dc.length > 0) {
		begin = dc.indexOf(cname);
		if (begin != -1) {
			begin += cname.length;
			end = dc.indexOf(";", begin);
			if (end == -1) end = dc.length;
				return unescape(dc.substring(begin, end));
		}
	}
	return null;
}

$expDate = "";

// function for setting a cookie.
function setCookie(name, value, expires, path, domain, secure) {
	var cs = name + "=" + escape(value) + "; expires=" +
	 ((typeof expires == "undefined") ? "Monday, 04-Feb-2030 00:00:00 GMT"
	 : expires) +
	 ((typeof path == "undefined") ? "; path=/" : "; path=" + path) +
	 ((typeof domain == "undefined") ? "" : "; domain=" + domain) +
	 ((typeof secure == "undefined") ? "" : "; secure");
	document.cookie = cs;
}

// function for deleting a cookie.
function delCookie (name,path,domain) {
  if (getCookie(name)) {
    document.cookie = name + "=" +
    ((typeof path == "undefined") ? "" : "; path=" + path) +
    ((typeof domain == "undefined") ? "" : "; domain=" + domain) +
    "; expires=Thu, 01-Jan-70 00:00:01 GMT";
  }
}