function checkWholeForm(newsLetter) {
	var why = "";

		why += isEmpty(newsLetter.first_name.value, "FIRST NAME");
		if (why != "") {
			alert(why);
			newsLetter.first_name.focus();
			return false;
		}
		why += isEmpty(newsLetter.last_name.value, "LAST NAME");
		if (why != "") {
			alert(why);
			newsLetter.last_name.focus();
			return false;
		}
		why += isEmpty(newsLetter.telephone.value, "PHONE");
		if (why != "") {
			alert(why);
			newsLetter.telephone.focus();
			return false;
		}
		why += checkEmail(newsLetter.email.value, "EMAIL ADDRESS");
		if (why != "") {
		alert(why);
		newsLetter.email.focus();
		return false;
		}


		for (i=0, n=newsLetter.newsletter.length; i<n; i++) {
        if (newsLetter.newsletter[i].checked) {
            var checkvalue = newsLetter.newsletter[i].value;
            break;
        } 
    }
    why += checkCheckBoxA(checkvalue);
		 if (why != "") {
       alert(why);
       return false;
    }


	return true;



}


function checkCheckBoxA(checkvalue) {
var error = "";
   if (!(checkvalue)) {
       error = "Please select a newsletter category.\n";
    }
return error;
}

// email

function checkEmail (strng) {
var error="";
if (strng == "") {
   error = "You didn't enter an email address.\n";
}

    var emailFilter=/^.+@.+\..{2,3}$/;
    if (!(emailFilter.test(strng))) { 
       error = "Please enter a valid email address.\n";
    }
    else {
//test email for illegal characters
       var illegalChars= /[\(\)\<\>\,\;\:\\\"\[\]]/
         if (strng.match(illegalChars)) {
          error = "The email address contains illegal characters.\n";
       }
    }
return error;    
}


// phone number - strip out delimiters and check for 10 digits

function checkPhone (strng) {
var error = "";
if (strng == "") {
   error = "You didn't enter a phone number.\n";
}

var stripped = strng.replace(/[\(\)\.\-\ ]/g, ''); //strip out acceptable non-numeric characters
    if (isNaN(parseInt(stripped))) {
       error = "The phone number contains illegal characters.";
  
    }
    if (!(stripped.length == 10)) {
	error = "The phone number is the wrong length. Make sure you included an area code.\n";
    } 
return error;
}


// password - between 6-8 chars, uppercase, lowercase, and numeral

function checkPassword (strng) {
var error = "";
if (strng == "") {
   error = "You didn't enter a password.\n";
}

    var illegalChars = /[\W_]/; // allow only letters and numbers
    
    if ((strng.length < 6) || (strng.length > 8)) {
       error = "The password is the wrong length.\n";
    }
    else if (illegalChars.test(strng)) {
      error = "The password contains illegal characters.\n";
    } 
    else if (!((strng.search(/(a-z)+/)) && (strng.search(/(A-Z)+/)) && (strng.search(/(0-9)+/)))) {
       error = "The password must contain at least one uppercase letter, one lowercase letter, and one numeral.\n";
    }  
return error;    
}    


// username - 4-10 chars, uc, lc, and underscore only.

function checkUsername (strng) {
var error = "";
if (strng == "") {
   error = "You didn't enter a username.\n";
}


    var illegalChars = /\W/; // allow letters, numbers, and underscores
    if ((strng.length < 4) || (strng.length > 10)) {
       error = "The username is the wrong length.\n";
    }
    else if (illegalChars.test(strng)) {
    error = "The username contains illegal characters.\n";
    } 
return error;
}       


// non-empty textbox

function isEmpty(strng, fldName) {
var error = "";
  if (strng.length == 0) {
     error = "The " + fldName + " field has not been filled in.\n"
  }
return error;	  
}

// was textbox altered

function isDifferent(strng) {
var error = ""; 
  if (strng != "Can\'t touch this!") {
     error = "You altered the inviolate text area.\n";
  }
return error;
}

// exactly one radio button is chosen

function checkRadio(checkvalue) {
var error = "";
   if (!(checkvalue)) {
       error = "Please select a CREDIT CARD TYPE.\n";
    }
return error;
}

// valid selector from dropdown list

function checkDropdown(choice, fldName) {
var error = "";
    if (choice == 0) {
    error = "You didn't choose an option from the " + fldName + " drop-down list.\n";
    }    
return error;
}