//global variable for error flag
var errfound = false;
//function to validate by length
function ValidLength(item, len) 
	{
	return (item.length >= len);
	}
//function to validate an email address
function ValidEmail(item) 
	{
	if (!ValidLength(item, 5)) return false;
	if (item.indexOf ('@', 0) == -1) return false;
	return true;
	}
// display an error alert
function error(elem, text) 
	{
	// abort if we already found an error
	if (errfound) return;
	window.alert(text);
	elem.focus();
	errfound = true;
	}