function textCounter(field,  maxlimit) {
if (field.value.length > maxlimit) // if too long...trim it!
field.value = field.value.substring(0, maxlimit);
// otherwise, update 'characters left' counter

}


function IsEmpty(f, aTextField) {
alert("in isempt");
   if ((aTextField.value.length==0) ||
   (f.aTextField.value==null)) {
   alert("ret tru");
      return true;
   }
   else { alert("ret fal");
   return false; }
}

function checkfields(f){
  alert("checking");
if(IsEmpty(f, "type")) {
   alert("PC is empty");
   return false;
}  else{
   alert("NOT EMPTY");
   return false;
}}

function checkRRform(f) {
  if(f.type.value=="") {
  alert("Please select if you are writing a rant or rave");
  return false;
  } else if(f.subject.value=="" || f.subject.value=="Enter Subject")  {
   alert("Please enter a subject");
   return false;
   }else if(f.body.value=="" || f.body.value=="Enter Rant or Rave")  {
   alert("Please enter a body");
   return false;
  }  else {
  return true;
  }
}

function checkPCform(f) {
  if(f.type.value=="") {
  alert("Please select if you are writing a pro or con");
  return false;
  } else if(f.body.value=="")  {
   alert("Please enter a pro or con body");
   return false;
  }  else {
  return true;
  }
}

function checkPriceform(f) {
  if(f.price.value=="") {
  alert("Please tell us how much you pay");
  return false;
  }  else {
  return true;
  }
}
function checkZipOrCity(f)    {

   if((f.zip.value==""|| f.zip.value=="zip") && f.citysearch.value=="") {
  alert("Please enter a zip code or city");
  return false;
  }  else {
  return true;
  }
}
function checkZip(f) {
  if(f.zip.value=="" || f.zip.value=="zip") {
  alert("Please enter a zip code");
  return false;
  }  else {
  return true;
  }
}

function clearForm(field, val) {
 if(field.value== val) { field.value="";}

}

function checkSignInform(f) {
  if(f.username.value=="")  {
   alert("Please enter a username");
   return false;
  } else if(f.pass.value=="")  {
   alert("Please enter a password");
   return false;
  } else {
  return true;
  }
}

function checkSignUpform(f) {
  if(f.username.value=="")  {
   alert("Please enter a username");
   return false;
  }else if(f.email.value=="") {
  alert("Please enter an email address");
  return false;
  } else if(f.pass.value=="")  {
   alert("Please enter a password");
   return false;
  } else if(f.pass2.value=="")  {
   alert("Please confirm your password");
   return false;
  }  else {
  return true;
  }
}