function getObject(obj) {
	var theObj
    	if (document.layers) {
        	if (typeof obj == "string") {
            		return document.layers[obj]
        	}
		else {
			return obj
       		}
    	}
    	if (document.all) {
		if (typeof obj == "string") {
            		return document.all(obj).style
    		} 
		else {
        		return obj.style
        	}
 	}
	if (document.getElementById) {
        	if (typeof obj == "string") {
            		return document.getElementById(obj).style
        	} 
		else {
            		return obj.style
        	}
    	}

	return null
}

function hide(obj){
	var theObj = getObject(obj);
	theObj.visibility="hidden";
}