function mouseoverportal(elem) {
    elem.style.backgroundImage = "url(images/top_bar_thin_red.gif)";
   // elem.style.borderColor = "red";      
}


function mouseoutportal(elem) {
    elem.style.backgroundImage = "url(images/top_bar_thin.gif)";
   // elem.style.borderColor = "#333333";
}

/**
 * @param elementId - get's element by id and toggles its style.display
 */
function showHide(elemId) {
    var elem = document.getElementById(elemId);

    if (elem != null && elem != undefined) {    
        if (elem.style.display == "none") {
            elem.style.display = "block";                        
        } else {
            elem.style.display = "none";
        }
    }
}

/**
 * same thing as toggleElement but with a slightly better name
 * and you can input a comma delimited list of ids that all need
 * to be toggled. for example: 'elem1Id, elem2Id, elem3Id'
 */
function showHideAll(elemIds) {
    var idArray = new Array();
    idArray = elemIds.split(',');
    
    var i = 0;
    for (i = 0; i < idArray.length; i++) {
        showHide(idArray[i].trim());    
    }    
}

/**
 * trims leading and trailing white spaces
 */
function trimString (str) {
    str = this != window ? this : str;
    return str.replace(/^\s+/g, '').replace(/\s+$/g, '');
}
String.prototype.trim = trimString;
/**
 * usage example:
 *      var s = '  Kibo  ';
 *      s = s.trim();
 */