function getStyleObject(objectId) {
	// cross-browser function to get an object's style object given its id
	
	if (document.getElementById && document.getElementById(objectId)) {
		// W3C DOM
		return document.getElementById(objectId).style;
    } else if (document.all && document.all(objectId)) {
		// MSIE 4 DOM
		return document.all(objectId).style;
    } else if (document.layers && document.layers[objectId]) {
		// NN 4 DOM.. note: this won't find nested layers
		return document.layers[objectId];
    } else {
		return false;
    }
}

function changeObjectVisibility (objectId, newVisibility) {
	// get a reference to the cross-browser style object and make sure the object exists
    var styleObject = getStyleObject(objectId);
    
    if (styleObject) {
		styleObject.visibility = newVisibility;
		return true;
    } else {
		// we couldn't find the object, so we can't change its visibility
		return false;
    }
} 

function moveObject(objectId, newXCoordinate, newYCoordinate) {
	// get a reference to the cross-browser style object and make sure the object exists
    var styleObject = getStyleObject(objectId);
    
    if (styleObject) {
		styleObject.left = newXCoordinate;
		styleObject.top = newYCoordinate;
		return true;
    } else {
		// we couldn't find the object, so we can't very well move it
		return false;
    }
}