/// took this code from www.w3schools.com 
///it starts the ajax engine 
function ajaxFunction() 
{ 
// alert("starting AJAX "); 
   var xmlHttp; 
try 
     { 
    // Firefox, Opera 8.0+, Safari 
    xmlHttp=new XMLHttpRequest(); 
     } 
  catch (e) 
    { 
    // Internet Explorer 
     try 
      { 
      xmlHttp=new ActiveXObject("Msxml2.XMLHTTP"); 
      } 
    catch (e) 
      { 
      try 
        { 
        xmlHttp=new ActiveXObject("Microsoft.XMLHTTP"); 
        } 
      catch (e) 
        { 
      return false; 
        } 
      } 
    }
return xmlHttp; 
}