/**
 * @author Panayiotis Bariamis
 * @version 1.1
 *
 * @param name - name of the cookie
 * @param value - value of the cookie
 * @param [expires] - expiration date of the cookie (defaults to end of current session)
 * @param [path] - path for which the cookie is valid (defaults to path of calling document)
 * @param [domain - domain for which the cookie is valid (defaults to domain of calling document)
 * @param [secure] - Boolean value indicating if the cookie transmission requires a secure transmission
 * an argument defaults when it is assigned null as a placeholder
 * a null placeholder is not required for trailing omitted arguments
 */
function setCookie(name, value, expires, path, domain, secure) {
	var curCookie = name + "=" + escape(value) +
		((expires) ? "; expires=" + new Date(expires).toGMTString() : "") +
		((path) ? "; path=" + path : "") +
		((domain) ? "; domain=" + domain : "") +
		((secure) ? "; secure" : "");
  	document.cookie = curCookie;
}


/**	
 * @param name - name of the desired cookie
 * @return string containing value of specified cookie or null if cookie does not exist
 */

function getCookie(name) {
  	var dc = document.cookie;
  	var prefix = name + "=";
  	var begin = dc.indexOf("; " + prefix);
  	if (begin == -1) {
    	begin = dc.indexOf(prefix);
    	if (begin != 0) return null;
  	} 
  	else
    	begin += 2;
  	var end = document.cookie.indexOf(";", begin);
  	if (end == -1) end = dc.length;
  	return unescape(dc.substring(begin + prefix.length, end));
}


/**
 * @param name - name of the cookie
 * @param [path] - path of the cookie (must be same as path used to create cookie)
 * @param [domain] - domain of the cookie (must be same as domain used to create cookie)
 * path and domain default if assigned null or omitted if no explicit argument proceeds
*/

function deleteCookie(name, path, domain) {
	if (getCookie(name)) {
  		document.cookie = name + "=" +
    		((path) ? "; path=" + path : "") +
    		((domain) ? "; domain=" + domain : "") +
    		"; expires=Thu, 01-Jan-70 00:00:01 GMT";
  	}
}

/**
 * @param date - any instance of the Date object
 * hand all instances of the Date object to this function for "repairs"
 */

function fixDate(date) {
	var base = new Date(0);
  	var skew = base.getTime();
  	if (skew > 0)
    	date.setTime(date.getTime() - skew);
}