function make_new_ajax_request()
{
   var request = false;
   try {
      request = new XMLHttpRequest();
   } catch (trymicrosoft) {
      try {
         request = new ActiveXObject("Msxml2.XMLHTTP");
      } catch (othermicrosoft) {
         try {
            request = new ActiveXObject("Microsoft.XMLHTTP");
         } catch (failed) {
            request = false;
         }
      }
   }

	return request; //returns null if no ajax support
}

function parseXML(s)
{
   if (window.DOMParser)
   {
      parser=new DOMParser();
      xmlDoc=parser.parseFromString(s, "text/xml");
   }
   else // Internet Explorer
   {
      xmlDoc=new ActiveXObject("Microsoft.XMLDOM");
      xmlDoc.async="false";
      xmlDoc.loadXML(s);
   }
   return xmlDoc;
} 

function XML_val(branch, el_name)
{
   retval = '';

   el = branch.getElementsByTagName(el_name)[0];
   if (el && el.childNodes[0])
   {  retval = el.childNodes[0].nodeValue;
   }
   return retval;
}