function delete_cookie ( cookie_name ) {
    var cookie_date = new Date ( );
    cookie_date.setTime ( cookie_date.getTime() - 1 );
    document.cookie = cookie_name += "=; path=/; expires=" + cookie_date.toGMTString();
}

function create_cookie( cookie_name, value, days ) {
    if (days) {
        var date = new Date();
        date.setTime(date.getTime()+(days*24*60*60*1000));
        var expires = "; expires="+date.toGMTString();
    }
    else var expires = "";
    document.cookie = cookie_name+"="+value+expires+"; path=/";
}

function read_cookie( cookie_name ) {
    var nameEQ = cookie_name + "=";
    var ca = document.cookie.split(';');
    for(var i=0;i < ca.length;i++) {
        var c = ca[i];
        while (c.charAt(0)==' ') c = c.substring(1,c.length);
        if (c.indexOf(nameEQ) == 0) return c.substring(nameEQ.length,c.length);
    }
    return null;
}