// These global variables are necessary to avoid losing scope when
//setting the balloon timeout and for inter-object communication
var currentBalloonClass;
var balloonIsVisible;
var balloonIsSticky;
var balloonInvisibleSelects;
var balloonIsSuppressed;
var tooltipIsSuppressed;

///////////////////////////////////////////////////
// Constructor for Balloon class                 //
// Balloon configuration                         //
// Reset these values for custom balloon designs //
///////////////////////////////////////////////////
var Balloon = function() {
  // Location of optional ajax handler that returns tooltip contents
  //this.helpUrl = '/cgi-bin/help.pl';

  // maxium allowed balloon width (px)
  this.minWidth = 200;

  // minimum allowed balloon width (px)
  this.maxWidth = 200;

  // Default tooltip text size
  this.balloonTextSize = '90%';

  // Delay before balloon is displayed (msec)
  this.delayTime = 500;

  // If fade-in/out is allowed
  this.allowFade = false;

  // time interval for fade-in (msec)
  this.fadeIn    = 300;

  // time interval for fade-out (msec)
  this.fadeOut   = 300;  

  // Vertical Distance from cursor location (px)
  this.vOffset  = 10;
 

  // text-padding within the balloon (px)
  this.padding  = 10;
  
  // margin of close button from top of balloon (px)
  this.closeTop  = 10;
  
  // margin of close button from right margin of balloon (px)
  this.closeLeft = -5;

  // How long to display mousover balloons (msec)
  // false = 'always on'
  this.displayTime = 10000;

  // width of shadow (space aroung whole balloon; px)
  // This can be zero if there is no shadow and the
  // edges of the balloon are also the edges of the image
  this.shadow   = 20;

  // images of balloon body.  If the browser is IE < 7, png alpha
  // channels will not work.  An optional alternative image can be 
  // provided.  It should have the same dimensions as the default png image
  this.balloonImagePath  = '/assets/images/balloons/';    
  this.balloonImage  = this.balloonImagePath + 'balloon.gif';    // with alpha channels
  this.ieImage       = this.balloonImagePath + 'balloon.gif'; // indexed color, transparent background

  // whether the balloon should have a stem
  this.stem          = true;
  this.stemLeft      = 0;

  // The height (px) of the stem and the extent to which the 
  // stem image should overlaps the balloon image.
  this.stemHeight  = 20;  
  this.stemOverlap = 5;
  
  // A stem for each of the four orientations
  this.upLeftStem    = this.balloonImagePath + 'up_left.gif';
  this.downLeftStem  = this.balloonImagePath + 'down_left.gif';
  this.upRightStem   = this.balloonImagePath + 'up_right.gif';
  this.downRightStem = this.balloonImagePath + 'down_right.gif';
  this.upCenterStem = this.balloonImagePath + 'up_center.gif';

  // A close button for sticky balloons
  this.closeButton   = this.balloonImagePath + 'close.gif ';

  // track the cursor every time the mouse moves
  document.onmousemove = this.setActiveCoordinates;

  // scrolling aborts unsticky balloons
  document.onscroll    = Balloon.prototype.hideTooltip;

  // make balloons go away if the page is unloading or waiting
  // to unload.
  window.onbeforeunload = function(){ 
    Balloon.prototype.hideTooltip(1);
    balloonIsSuppressed = true;
  };

  if (this.isIE()) {
    this.suppress = true;
  }
}

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
// This is the function that is called on mouseover.  It has a built-in //
// delay time to avoid balloons popping up on rapid mouseover events     //
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
Balloon.prototype.showTooltip = function(evt,caption,sticky,width) {
  // Awful IE bug, page load aborts if the balloon is fired
  // before the page is fully loaded.
  if (this.isIE() && document.readyState.match(/complete/i)) {
    this.suppress = false;
  }

  // All balloons have been suppressed, go no further
  if (this.suppress || balloonIsSuppressed) {
    return false;
  }

  // Non-sticky balloons suppressed
  if (tooltipIsSuppressed && !sticky) {
    return false;
  }

  // Sorry Konqueror, no fade-in for you!
  if (this.isKonqueror()) this.allowFade = false;

  // Check for mouseover (vs. mousedown or click)
  var mouseOver = evt.type.match('mouseover','i');  

  // if the firing event is a click, fade-in and a non-sticky balloon make no sense
  
  if (!mouseOver) {
    sticky = true;
    this.fadeOK = false;
  }
  else {
    this.fadeOK = this.allowFade;
  }

  // Don't fire on mouseover if a non-sticky balloon is visible
  if (balloonIsVisible && !balloonIsSticky && mouseOver) return false;

  // Don't start a non-sticky balloon if a sticky one is visible
  if (balloonIsVisible && balloonIsSticky && !sticky) return false;
  
  // Ignore repeated firing of mouseover->mouseout events on 
  // the same element (Safari)
  var el = this.getEventTarget(evt);
  if (sticky && mouseOver && this.isSameElement(el,this.currentElement)) return false;
  this.firingElement = el;

  // A new sticky balloon can erase an old one
  if (sticky) this.hideTooltip(1);

  // attach a mouseout event handler to the target element
  var closeBalloon = function() { 
    var override = balloonIsSticky && !balloonIsVisible;
    Balloon.prototype.hideTooltip(override)
  }
  if (!mouseOver) el.onmouseup  = function() {return false};
  el.onmouseout = closeBalloon;

  balloonIsSticky = sticky;

  // force balloon width and/or height if requested
  this.width  = width;

  this.hideTooltip();

  // if this is IE < 7 use an alternative image id provided
  if (this.isOldIE() && this.ieImage) {
    this.balloonImage = this.ieImage;
    this.ieImage = null;
  }

  // look for a url in the balloon contents
  if (caption.match(/^url:/)) {
    var urlArray = caption.split(':');
    caption = '';
    this.activeUrl = urlArray[1];
  }
  // or if the contents are to be retrieved from an element
  else if (caption.match(/^load:/)) {
    var load = caption.split(':');
    if (!document.getElementById(load[1])) alert ('problem locating element '+load[1]);
    caption = document.getElementById(load[1]).innerHTML;
    this.loadedFromElement = true;
  }
  // or if the text is a bare hyperlink
  else if (caption.match(/^(https?:|\/|ftp:)\S+$/i)) {
    this.activeUrl = caption;
    caption = '';
  }

  // request the contents synchronously (ie wait for result)
  this.currentHelpText = this.getContents(caption);
  this.loadedFromElement = false;

  // Put the balloon contents and images into a visible (but offscreen)
  // element so they will be preloaded and have a layout to 
  // calculate the balloon dimensions
  if (!this.container) {
    this.container = document.createElement('div');
    document.body.appendChild(this.container);
    this.setStyle(this.container,'position','absolute');
    this.setStyle(this.container,'top',-8888);
    this.setStyle(this.container,'display','none');
  }
  else {
    this.setStyle(this.container,'display','none');
  }

  this.container.innerHTML = unescape(this.currentHelpText);

  // Also preload the balloon images
  if (!this.images) {
    this.images = document.createElement('div');
    document.body.appendChild(this.images);
    this.setStyle(this.images,'position','absolute');
    this.setStyle(this.images,'top',-8888);
    this.setStyle(this.images,'display','inline');
    if (this.upLeftStem)    this.images.innerHTML  = '<img src='+this.upLeftStem+'>';
    if (this.upRightStem)   this.images.innerHTML += '<img src='+this.upRightStem+'>';
    if (this.downLeftStem)  this.images.innerHTML += '<img src='+this.downLeftStem+'>';
    if (this.downRightStem) this.images.innerHTML += '<img src='+this.downRightStem+'>';
    this.images.innerHTML += '<img src='+this.balloonImage+'>';
    this.images.innerHTML += '<img src='+this.closeButton+'>';
  }
  else {
    this.setStyle(this.images,'display','none');
  }

  currentBalloonClass = this;

  // Capture coordinates for mousedown or click
  if (!mouseOver) this.setActiveCoordinates(evt);

  // make delay time short for onmousedown
  var delay = mouseOver ? this.delayTime : 1;
  this.timeoutTooltip = window.setTimeout(this.doShowTooltip,delay);
}

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
// Tooltip rendering function
/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
Balloon.prototype.doShowTooltip = function() {
  var self = currentBalloonClass;
  
  // Stop firing if a balloon is already being displayed
  if (balloonIsVisible) return false;  

  // a short delay time might cause some intereference
  // with fade-out
  window.clearTimeout(self.timeoutFade);
  self.setStyle('balloon','display','none');

  // make sure user-configured numbers are not strings
  self.parseIntAll();

  // create the balloon object
  var balloon = self.makeBalloon();

  // window dimensions
  var pageWidth  = YAHOO.util.Dom.getViewportWidth();
  var pageCen    = Math.round(pageWidth/2);
  var pageHeight = YAHOO.util.Dom.getViewportHeight();
  var pageLeft   = YAHOO.util.Dom.getDocumentScrollLeft();
  var pageTop    = YAHOO.util.Dom.getDocumentScrollTop();
  var pageMid    = pageTop + Math.round(pageHeight/2);

  // balloon orientation
  var vOrient = 'up';
  var hOrient = 'right';
  
  // get the preloaded balloon contents
  var helpText = self.container.innerHTML;

  self.contents.innerHTML = helpText;

  // how and where to draw the balloon
  self.setBalloonStyle(vOrient,hOrient,pageWidth,pageLeft);

  // sticky balloons need a close control
  if (balloonIsSticky) {
    var topRight = document.getElementById('topRight');
    var margin   = Math.round(self.padding/2);
    var top      = self.closeTop;
	var left      = self.closeLeft;
    var marginLeft = 16 - margin;

    topRight.innerHTML = '\
     <img src="'+self.closeButton+'" title="Close" \
          onclick="Balloon.prototype.hideTooltip(1)" \
          style="position:absolute;top:'+top+'px;left:'+left+'px;\
          margin-left:-'+marginLeft+'px;cursor:pointer;z-index:3">';
  }

  balloonIsVisible = true;
  
  // in IE < 7, hide <select> elements
  self.showHide();

  self.fade(0,95,self.fadeIn);
}

// use a fresh object every time to make sure style 
// is not polluted
Balloon.prototype.makeBalloon = function() {
  var self = currentBalloonClass;

  var balloon = document.getElementById('balloon');
  if (balloon) document.body.removeChild(balloon);

  balloon = document.createElement('div');
  balloon.setAttribute('id','balloon');
  document.body.appendChild(balloon);
  self.activeBalloon = balloon;

  self.parts = new Array(balloon);
  var parts = new Array('contents','topRight','bottomRight','bottomLeft');
  for (var i=0;i<parts.length;i++) {
    var child = document.createElement('div');
    child.setAttribute('id',parts[i]);
    balloon.appendChild(child);
    if (parts[i] == 'contents') self.contents = child;
    self.parts.push(child);
  }

  if (balloonIsSticky) {
    self.setStyle('contents','margin-right',10); 
  }
  else if (self.displayTime)  {
      self.timeoutAutoClose = window.setTimeout(this.hideTooltip,self.displayTime);
  }
  return balloon;
}


Balloon.prototype.setBalloonStyle = function(vOrient,hOrient,pageWidth,pageLeft) {
  var self = currentBalloonClass;
  var balloon = self.activeBalloon;

  if (typeof(self.shadow) != 'number') self.shadow = 0;
  if (!self.stem) self.stemHeight = 0;

  var fullPadding   = self.padding + self.shadow;
  var insidePadding = self.padding;

  self.setStyle(balloon,'background','url('+self.balloonImage+') top left no-repeat');
  self.setStyle(balloon,'position','absolute');
  self.setStyle(balloon,'padding-top',fullPadding - 14);
  self.setStyle(balloon,'padding-left',fullPadding - 8);
  self.setStyle(balloon,'top',-9999);
  self.setStyle(balloon,'z-index',1);
  

  self.setStyle('bottomRight','background','url('+self.balloonImage+') bottom right no-repeat');
  self.setStyle('bottomRight','position','absolute');
  self.setStyle('bottomRight','right',0-fullPadding);
  self.setStyle('bottomRight','bottom',0-fullPadding);
  self.setStyle('bottomRight','height',fullPadding);
  self.setStyle('bottomRight','width',fullPadding);
  self.setStyle('bottomRight','z-index',-1);

  self.setStyle('topRight','background','url('+self.balloonImage+') top right no-repeat');
  self.setStyle('topRight','position','absolute');
  self.setStyle('topRight','right',0-fullPadding);
  self.setStyle('topRight','top',0);
  self.setStyle('topRight','width',fullPadding);

  self.setStyle('bottomLeft','background','url('+self.balloonImage+') bottom left no-repeat');
  self.setStyle('bottomLeft','position','absolute');
  self.setStyle('bottomLeft','left',0);
  self.setStyle('bottomLeft','bottom',0-fullPadding);
  self.setStyle('bottomLeft','height',fullPadding);
  self.setStyle('bottomLeft','z-index',-1);

  if (this.stem) {
    var stem = document.createElement('img');
    self.setStyle(stem,'position','absolute');
    balloon.appendChild(stem);    

    stem.src = self.upCenterStem;
	var height = self.stemHeight + insidePadding - self.stemOverlap;
	self.setStyle(stem,'bottom',15-height);
	self.setStyle(stem,'left',self.shadow);
  }

  // flip left or right, as required
  //self.setStyle(balloon,'left',self.activeRight);


  if (!self.width) {
    var width = self.getLoc('contents','width');
    if (self.isIE()) width += 50;
    if (width > self.maxWidth) width = self.maxWidth + 50;
    if (width < self.minWidth) width = self.minWidth;
    self.setStyle(balloon,'width',width);
  }
  else {
    self.setStyle(balloon,'width',self.width);
  }

  // Make sure the balloon is not offscreen
  var balloonPad   = self.padding + self.shadow;
  var balloonLeft  = self.getLoc(balloon,'x1');
  var balloonRight = self.getLoc(balloon,'x2');
  if (hOrient == 'left')  balloonLeft  += balloonPad;
  if (hOrient == 'right') balloonRight += balloonPad;
  var pageRight    = pageLeft + pageWidth;

  if (hOrient == 'right' && balloonRight > (pageRight-30)) {
    self.setStyle(balloon,'width',(pageRight - balloonLeft) - 50);
  }
  else if (hOrient == 'left' && balloonLeft < (pageLeft+30)) {
    self.setStyle(balloon,'width',(balloonRight - pageLeft) - 50);
  }

  // Set the width/height for the right and bottom outlines
  var lineWidth  = self.getLoc(balloon,'width');
  var lineHeight = self.getLoc(balloon,'height');
  // set arrow in middle
  self.stemLeft = (lineWidth-14)/2;
  self.setStyle(stem,'left',self.stemLeft);
  // match left of target
  self.setStyle(balloon,'left',self.activeRight - ( lineWidth / 2 -25 ));
  
  self.setStyle('topRight','height',lineHeight);
  self.setStyle('bottomLeft','width',lineWidth);

  // IE7 quirk -- look for unwanted overlap cause by an off by 1px error
  var vOverlap = self.isOverlap('topRight','bottomRight');
  var hOverlap = self.isOverlap('bottomLeft','bottomRight');
  if (vOverlap) self.setStyle('topRight','height',lineHeight-vOverlap[1]);
  if (hOverlap) self.setStyle('bottomLeft','width',lineWidth-hOverlap[0]);

  if (vOrient == 'up') {
    var activeTop = self.activeTop - self.vOffset - self.stemHeight - lineHeight;
    self.setStyle(balloon,'top',activeTop);
    self.setStyle(balloon,'display','inline');
  }
  else {
    var activeTop = self.activeTop + self.vOffset + self.stemHeight;
    self.setStyle(balloon,'top',activeTop);
  }

  self.setStyle('contents','z-index',2);
  self.setOpacity(1);
}

// Fade method adapted from an example on 
// http://brainerror.net/scripts/javascript/blendtrans/
Balloon.prototype.fade = function(opacStart, opacEnd, millisec) {
  var self = currentBalloonClass || new Balloon;

  //speed for each frame
  var speed = Math.round(millisec / 100);
  var timer = 0;
  if(opacStart > opacEnd) {
    if (self.fadeOK) {
      for(o = opacStart; o >= opacEnd; o--) {
        self.timeoutFade = setTimeout('Balloon.prototype.setOpacity('+o+')',(timer*speed));
        timer++;
      }
      setTimeout("Balloon.prototype.setStyle('balloon','display','none')",millisec);
    }
    else {
      self.setStyle('balloon','display','none')
    }
  }
  else if(opacStart < opacEnd && self.fadeOK) {
    for(o = opacStart; o <= opacEnd; o++) {
      self.timeoutFade = setTimeout('Balloon.prototype.setOpacity('+o+')',(timer*speed));
      timer++;
    }
  }
}

Balloon.prototype.setOpacity = function(opc) {
  var self = currentBalloonClass;
  if (!self || !self.fadeOK) return false;

  var o = parseFloat((opc||0)/100);
  
  /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
  // Very irritating IE deficiency: it can't handle changing //
  // opacity of child elements.  Just fade balloon contents  //
  // for IE and the whole balloon for less obtuse browsers.  //
  var el = self.isIE() ? 'contents' : 'balloon';             //
  /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

  var b  = document.getElementById(el);
  if (!b) return false;

  // CSS standards-compliant browsers!
  self.setStyle(b,'opacity',o);
  // old IE
  self.setStyle(b,'filter','alpha(opacity= '+opc+')');
  // old Mozilla/NN
  self.setStyle(b,'MozOpacity',o);
  // old Safari
  self.setStyle(b,'KhtmlOpacity',o);

}

Balloon.prototype.hideTooltip = function(override) {
  // some browsers pass the event object == we don't want it
  if (override && typeof override == 'object') override = false;
  if (balloonIsSticky && !override) return false;
  
  var self = currentBalloonClass;

  if (self) {
    window.clearTimeout(self.timeoutTooltip);
    window.clearTimeout(self.timeoutAutoClose);
  }

  if (balloonIsSticky && self) self.currentElement = null;

  balloonIsVisible = false;
  balloonIsSticky  = false;

  if (!self) {
    var hideBalloon  = document.getElementById('balloon');
    if (hideBalloon) Balloon.prototype.setStyle(hideBalloon,'display','none');
  }
  else if (self.activeBalloon) {
    if (!override && self.fadeOK && !self.isIE()) self.fade(95,0,self.fadeOut);
    else self.setStyle(self.activeBalloon,'display','none');
  }
  Balloon.prototype.showHide(1);
}

// this function is meant to be called externally to clear
// any open balloons
hideAllTooltips = function() {
  var self = currentBalloonClass;
  if (!self) return;
  window.clearTimeout(self.timeoutTooltip);
  if (self.activeBalloon) self.setStyle(self.activeBalloon,'display','none');
  balloonIsVisible    = false;
  balloonIsSticky     = false;
  currentBalloonClass = null;
}


// Track the active mouseover coordinates
Balloon.prototype.setActiveCoordinates = function(event) {
  var evt = event || window.event; 
 
  var self = currentBalloonClass;
  if (!self) return true;
  /*if (!self) return false;*/
  var b = self.activeBalloon;

  var evt = event || window.event;
  var XY = self.eventXY(evt);
  self.activeTop    = XY[1] + 30;
  self.activeLeft   = XY[0] - 30;
  self.activeRight  = self.activeLeft + 5;
  self.activeBottom = self.activeTop  + 12;
  
  return true;
}

////
// event XY and getEventTarget Functions based on examples by Peter-Paul
// Koch http://www.quirksmode.org/js/events_properties.html
Balloon.prototype.eventXY = function(event) {
  var XY = new Array(2);
  var e = event || window.event;
  var t = Balloon.prototype.getEventTarget(e), x=0, y=0;
  while( t != null ) {
  	x += t.offsetLeft;
  	y += t.offsetTop;
	t = t.offsetParent;
  }
  XY[0] = x;
  XY[1] = y;
  //XY[0] = e.pageX || e.clientX + document.body.scrollLeft + document.documentElement.scrollLeft;
  //XY[1] = e.pageY || e.clientY + document.body.scrollTop  + document.documentElement.scrollTop;
  return XY;
}

Balloon.prototype.getEventTarget = function(event) {
  var targ;
  var e = event || window.event;
  if (e.target) targ = e.target;
  else if (e.srcElement) targ = e.srcElement;
  if (targ.nodeType == 3) targ = targ.parentNode; // Safari
  return targ;
}
////


Balloon.prototype.setStyle = function(el,att,val) {
  if (!el) return false;
  if (val && att.match(/left|top|bottom|right|width|height|padding|margin/)) val += 'px'; 
  if (typeof(el) != 'object') el = document.getElementById(el);

  // z-index does not work as expected
  if (att == 'z-index') {
    if (el.style) {
      el.style.zIndex = parseInt(val);
    }
  }
  else {
    YAHOO.util.Dom.setStyle(el,att,val);
  }
}

// Uses YAHOO's region class for element coordinates
Balloon.prototype.getLoc = function(el,request) {
  var region = YAHOO.util.Dom.getRegion(el);

  switch(request) {
    case ('y1') : return parseInt(region.top);
    case ('y2') : return parseInt(region.bottom);
    case ('x1') : return parseInt(region.left);
    case ('x2') : return parseInt(region.right);
    case ('width')  : return (parseInt(region.right)  - parseInt(region.left));
    case ('height') : return (parseInt(region.bottom) - parseInt(region.top));
    case ('region') : return region; 
 }
}

// We don't know if numbers are overridden with strings
// so play it safe
Balloon.prototype.parseIntAll = function() {
  this.padding     = parseInt(this.padding);
  this.shadow      = parseInt(this.shadow);
  this.stemHeight  = parseInt(this.stemHeight);
  this.stemOverlap = parseInt(this.stemOverlap);
  this.vOffset     = parseInt(this.vOffset);
  this.delayTime   = parseInt(this.delayTime);
  this.width       = parseInt(this.width);
  this.maxWidth    = parseInt(this.maxWidth);
  this.minWidth    = parseInt(this.minWidth);
  this.fadeIn      = parseInt(this.fadeIn);
  this.fadeOut     = parseInt(this.fadeOut);  
}


// show/hide select elements in older IE
// plus user-defined elements
Balloon.prototype.showHide = function(visible) {
  var self = currentBalloonClass || new Balloon;

  // IE z-index bug fix (courtesy of Lincoln Stein)
  if (self.isOldIE()) {
    if (!visible) {
      var balloonSelects = document.getElementById('contents').getElementsByTagName('select');
      var myHash = new Object();
      for (var i=0; i<balloonSelects.length; i++) {
        var id = balloonSelects[i].id || balloonSelects[i].name;
        myHash[id] = 1;
      }
      balloonInvisibleSelects = new Array();
      var allSelects = document.getElementsByTagName('select');
      for (var i=0; i<allSelects.length; i++) {
        var id = allSelects[i].id || allSelects[i].name;
        if (self.isOverlap(allSelects[i],self.activeBalloon) && !myHash[id]) {
          balloonInvisibleSelects.push(allSelects[i]);
          self.setStyle(allSelects[i],'visibility','hidden');
        }
      }
    }
    else if (balloonInvisibleSelects) {
      for (var i=0; i < balloonInvisibleSelects.length; i++) {
        var id = balloonInvisibleSelects[i].id || balloonInvisibleSelects[i].name;
        self.setStyle(balloonInvisibleSelects[i],'visibility','visible');
     }
     balloonInvisibleSelects = null;
    }
  }

  // show/hide any user-specified elements that overlap the balloon
  if (self.hide) {
    var display = visible ? 'inline' : 'none';
    for (var n=0;n<self.hide.length;n++) {
      if (self.isOverlap(self.activeBalloon,self.hide[n])) {
        self.setStyle(self.hide[n],'display',display);
      }
    }
  }
}

// Try to find overlap
Balloon.prototype.isOverlap = function(el1,el2) {
  if (!el1 || !el2) return false;
  var R1 = this.getLoc(el1,'region');
  var R2 = this.getLoc(el2,'region');
  if (!R1 || !R2) return false;
  var intersect = R1.intersect(R2);
  if (intersect) {
    // extent of overlap;
    intersect = new Array((intersect.right - intersect.left),(intersect.bottom - intersect.top));
  }
  return intersect;
}

// Coordinate-based test for the same element
Balloon.prototype.isSameElement = function(el1,el2) {
  if (!el1 || !el2) return false;
  var R1 = this.getLoc(el1,'region');
  var R2 = this.getLoc(el2,'region');
  var same = R1.contains(R2) && R2.contains(R1);
  return same ? true : false;
}


///////////////////////////////////////////////////////
// AJAX widget to fill the balloons
// requires prototype.js
///////////////////////////////////////////////////////
Balloon.prototype.getContents = function(section) {

  // just pass it back if no AJAX handler is required.
  if (!this.helpUrl && !this.activeUrl) return section;

  // or if the comntents are alreday loaded
  if (this.loadedFromElement) return section;

  // inline URL takes precedence
  var url = this.activeUrl || this.helpUrl;
  url    += this.activeUrl ? '' : '?section='+section;

  // activeUrl is meant to be single-use only
  this.activeUrl = null;

  var ajax;
  if (window.XMLHttpRequest) {
    ajax = new XMLHttpRequest();
  } else {
    ajax = new ActiveXObject("Microsoft.XMLHTTP");
  }

  if (ajax) {
     ajax.open("GET", url, false);
     ajax.send(null);
     this.helpText = ajax.responseText || section;
     return  this.helpText;
  }
  else {
     return section;
  }
}


// test for internet explorer
Balloon.prototype.isIE = function() {
  return document.all && !window.opera;
}

// test for internet explorer (but not IE7)
Balloon.prototype.isOldIE = function() {
  if (navigator.appVersion.indexOf("MSIE") == -1) return false;
  var temp=navigator.appVersion.split("MSIE");
  return parseFloat(temp[1]) < 7;
}

// test for Konqueror
Balloon.prototype.isKonqueror = function() {
  return navigator.userAgent.indexOf( 'Konqueror' ) != -1;
}