var whitespace = " \\t\\n\\r"

  function MakeLowerCase(str)
  {
     return str.toLowerCase()
  }

  function isEmpty(s)
  {
    return ((s == null) || (s.length == 0))
  }
  
//===================================================================
  function isWhitespace (s)
  { var i;
    if (isEmpty(s)) return true;
    for (i = 0; i < s.length; i++){
      var c = s.charAt(i);
      if (whitespace.indexOf(c) == -1) return false;
    }
    return true;
  }
  
//===================================================================
  function isCharsInBag (s, bag)
  {
    var i;
    // Search through string's characters one by one.
    // If character is in bag, append to returnString.
    for (i = 0; i < s.length; i++)
    {
        // Check that current character isn't whitespace.
        var c = s.charAt(i);
        if (bag.indexOf(c) == -1) return false;
    }
    return true;
  }
  
//===================================================================
  function validate(theForm)
  {
// alert("STARTING VALIDATION - TESTING");
  
    var errMesg = "";

    // CHECK ALL THE REQUIRED INFORMATION FIELDS.
    // FIRST_NAME, LAST_NAME AND E-MAIL ARE MANDATORY
    { var Q = ""; // this block determines lifespan of Q
		if (isWhitespace(theForm.chargeCard.value)) Q += "  Credit Card\n";      
		if (isWhitespace(theForm.firstName.value)) Q += "  First Name\n";            
		if (isWhitespace(theForm.lastName.value)) Q += "  Last Name\n";
		if (isWhitespace(theForm.cardNumber.value)) Q += "  Card Number\n";
		if (isWhitespace(theForm.ship_to_Name.value)) Q += "  Ship to Name\n";
		if (isWhitespace(theForm.ship_to_Address.value)) Q += "  Ship to Address\n";
		if (isWhitespace(theForm.ship_to_City.value)) Q += "  Ship to City\n";
		if (isWhitespace(theForm.ship_to_State.value)) Q += "  Ship to State\n";
		if (isWhitespace(theForm.ship_to_Zip.value)) Q += "  Ship to Zip\n";
		if (isWhitespace(theForm.email.value)) Q += "  Email\n";

		// ADD CHECKS FOR ADDITIONAL FIELDS HERE EXACTLY AS ABOVE
		if ( Q.length> 0 )
			{
			errMesg += "Please provide valid values for: \n" + Q ;
			}
    }        


	var loginName = theForm.email.value = theForm.email.value.toLowerCase();
	var textareaCount;

    // VALIDATION OF THE EMAIL (MANDATORY)
    if ( !isCharsInBag( loginName, "abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz0123456789.-_@" ) || (!isCharsInBag( "@", loginName ))  )
    	{
    	errMesg += "Contact E-mail has invalid characters or missing \"@\".\n" ;
    	} 
	else if (! isCharsInBag( loginName.charAt(loginName.length - 1),"abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz"))
    	{
    	errMesg += "Contact E-mail must end in an alphabetic character.\n";
    	}
	 else if ( !isCharsInBag( loginName.charAt(0),"abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz0123456789"))
		{
     	errMesg += "Contact E-mail name must start with an alphanumeric character.\n";
		} 
	else if ( loginName.length < 7 )
    	{
      	errMesg += "Contact E-mail must be 7 or more characters.\n" ;
    	}
//===================================================================
    // VALIDATION OF THE PHONE (MANDATORY)
//    var phone = theForm.phone.value;
//    if ( phone.length < 10 )
//    {
//      errMesg += "Phone must be 10 or more digits.\n" ;
//    }
	

    if (errMesg != ""){
      alert(errMesg);
      return false;
    }

    theForm.submit();

  }