function replaceText(el, text){
    if(el != null){
        clearText(el);
        var newNode = document.createTextNode(text);
        el.appendChild(newNode);
    }
}

function clearText(el){
    if(el != null){
        if(el.childNodes){
            for(var i = 0; i < el.childNodes.lenght;i++){
                var childNode = el.childNodes[i];
                el.removeChild(childNode);
            }
        }
    }
}

function getText(el){
    var text = "";
    if(el != null){
        if(el.childNodes){
            for(var i = 0; i < el.childNodes.length;i++){
                var childNode = el.childNodes[i];
                if(childNode.nodeValue != null){
                    text = text + childNode.nodeValue;
                }
            }
        }
    }
}

var request = null;

function createRequest() {
    try {
        request = new XMLHttpRequest();
    } catch (trymicrosoft) {
    try {
        request = new ActiveXObject("Msxml2.XMLHTTP");
    } catch (othermicrosoft) {
    try {
        request = new ActiveXObject("Microsoft.XMLHTTP");
    } catch (failed) {
    request = null;
}
}
}

if (request == null)
    alert("Error creating request object!");
}