function trimTextElementsInForm(form) {
    for (i=0;i<form.elements.length;i++) {
        el = form.elements[i];
        if (el.type == "text") {
            el.value = trim(el.value);
        }
    }
}

 function verifyRequiredFields(form) {
  var returnVar = true;
  for(i=0; i<form.elements.length; i++) {
   element = form.elements[i];
   if (element.attributes['required'] != null) {
    //alert("here: " + element.name);

    if (element.type == 'text' || element.type == 'password') {
     //alert("here2: " + element.name + ": " + element.value);

     if (element.value == "") {
	  if (element.attributes['requiredText'] !=null) {
		  alert(element.attributes['requiredText'].value);
	  } else {
		  alert("Form element \"" + element.name + "\" is required but is not filled out");
	  }
      returnVar = false;
     }
    }

    else if (element.type == 'radio') {
     if (!isRadioCollectionSelected(form.elements['type'])) {
	  if (element.attributes['requiredText'] !=null) {
		  alert(element.attributes['requiredText'].value);
	  } else {
		  alert("Form element \"" + element.name + "\" is required but is not filled out");
	  }
      returnVar = false;
     }
    }
   }
  }

  return returnVar;
 }

 function isRadioCollectionSelected(group) {
  for(j=0; j<group.length; j++) {
   if (group[j].checked) {
    return true;
   }
  }

  return false;
 }