if (document.layers) //netscape 
{ 
visible_str = 'show'; 
hidden_str = 'hide'; 
} 

else //IE 
if (document.all) 
{ 
visible_str = 'visible'; 
hidden_str = 'hidden'; 
} 

else //netscape 6 
if (document.getElementById) 
{ 
visible_str = 'visible'; 
hidden_str = 'hidden'; 
} 

function getObj(name)
{
  if (document.getElementById)
  {
  	this.obj = document.getElementById(name);
	this.style = document.getElementById(name).style;
  }
  else if (document.all)
  {
	this.obj = document.all[name];
	this.style = document.all[name].style;
  }
  else if (document.layers)
  {
	this.obj = getObjNN4(document,name);
	this.style = this.obj;
  }
}

function getObjNN4(obj,name)
{
	var x = obj.layers;
	var foundLayer;
	for (var i=0;i<x.length;i++)
	{
		if (x[i].id == name)
		 	foundLayer = x[i];
		else if (x[i].layers.length)
			var tmp = getObjNN4(x[i],name);
		if (tmp) foundLayer = tmp;
	}
	return foundLayer;
}