function IsBlankField(field){
	var j = 0;
	var chr;

	for(j; j < field.length; j++){
	    chr = field.charAt(j);

	    if(chr != "" && chr != " " && chr != "n" && chr != "t"){
		return false;
	    }
	}

	return true;
    }

    function SendTo(id){
        //shortening form elements
        var myForm      = document.getElementById('myForm');
        var txtSearch   = document.getElementById('wrdSearch');
	var srchURL;    // this variable will hold the URL of the search engine to be used
        var srchVar;    // this variable will hold the value of the text field 'name' which will hold the string to be searched 

        if(IsBlankField(txtSearch.value)){
            //if the form doesn't validate, send this alert
            alert("there's nothing to search for!");
        } else{
            if(id == "ebay"){
		srchURL = "/search/eBay.php";
		srchVar = "search";

            } else if(id == "google"){
		srchURL = "/search/Google.php";
		srchVar = "gsearch";

            } else{
		srchURL = "/search/Amazon.php";
		srchVar = "search";

            }

            //adding the attribute name and values to the form and text field elements
	    myForm.setAttribute("action", srchURL);
	    txtSearch.setAttribute("name", srchVar);

	    myForm.setAttribute("target", "_blank"); //this, of course, will open a new browser window
	    myForm.setAttribute("method", "post");

            myForm.submit();           

        }
    }