function validateForm(theForm)
{ 
	var err = 0;
	var check = 0;
	var Max = 0;
	var Desc = "";
	var Value = "";
	
	var msg = "Please make sure you fill out all required fields.  Thank you. \n";
	//loop through all form elements
	
	for (var e = 0; e < theForm.elements.length; e++)
	{
		//if the required attribute is set to Y then do the validation
		if(theForm.elements[e].required == "Y")
		{
			Desc = theForm.elements[e].id;
			theName = theForm.elements[e].name;
	
			// Text Box, Text Area, or Password - check for value
			if (theForm.elements[e].type == "text" | theForm.elements[e].type == "textarea" | theForm.elements[e].type == "password" | theForm.elements[e].type == "file")
			{
				Value = theForm.elements[e].value;
				check = 0;
				var ValueLength = Value.length;
	
				//loops through each character in the value and makes sure at least one is not a space (charcode 32)
				for (var t = 0; t < ValueLength; t++)
				{
					if (Value.charCodeAt(t) != 32)
					{
						check = 1
					}
				}
				if (check == 0)
				{
					err = 1;
					document.getElementById(Desc).style.backgroundColor = '#FFFFCC';
					//document.getElementById(Desc).style.color = 'white';
					msg = msg + "Required Input: " + Desc + "\n";
				}
			}
			// Select Box - check for value not equal to "Select One"
			if (theForm.elements[e].type == "select-one" )
			{
				var thisVal = theForm.elements[e].options[theForm.elements[e].selectedIndex].value;
				if (thisVal == "null" || thisVal == "")
				{
					err = 1;
					document.getElementById(Desc).style.backgroundColor = '#FFFFCC';
					msg = msg + "Required Input: " + Desc + "\n";
				}
			}
			// Select Multiple - check for value not equal to "Select One"
			if (theForm.elements[e].type == "select-multiple" && theForm.elements[e].options.value == "null" | theForm.elements[e].options.value == "")
			{
				err = 1;
				document.getElementById(Desc).style.backgroundColor = '#FFFFCC';
				msg = msg + "Required Input: " + Desc + "\n";
			}
			//Radio or checkbox -check for at least one checked
			if (theForm.elements[e].type == "radio" | theForm.elements[e].type == "checkbox")
			{
				var ok = 0;
				//loop through every check box or radio with the same name
				for (var CE = 0; theForm.elements[e + CE].name == theName; CE++)
				{
					if (theForm.elements[e + CE].checked)
					{
						ok = 1;
					}
				}
				if (ok == 0)
				{
					err = 1;
					document.getElementById(Desc).style.backgroundColor = '#FFFFCC';
					msg = msg + "Required Input: " + Desc + "\n";
				}
				//reset e because we've skipped ahead in the elements sequence
				e = e + CE - 1;
			}
			//check that max length is not exceeded
			if(theForm.elements[e].maxlength)
			{
				Max = theForm.elements[e].maxlength;
				Chars = theForm.elements[e].value.length;
				if( Chars > Max)
				{
					err = 1;
					msg = msg + "Maximum of " + Max + " Characters Exceeded: " + Desc + " has " + Chars + " Characters \n";
				}
			}
			//check that a correct email address is entered when specified
			if(theForm.elements[e].email)
			{
				var str = theForm.elements[e].value;
				var at="@";
				var dot=".";
				var lat=str.indexOf(at);
				var lstr=str.length;
				var ldot=str.indexOf(dot);
				var thisErr = 0;
				if (str.indexOf(at)==-1)
				{
					thisErr = 1;
				}
				if (str.indexOf(at)==-1 || str.indexOf(at)==0 || str.indexOf(at)==lstr)
				{
					thisErr = 1;
				}
				if (str.indexOf(dot)==-1 || str.indexOf(dot)==0 || str.indexOf(dot)==lstr)
				{
					thisErr = 1;
				}
				if (str.indexOf(at,(lat+1))!=-1)
				{
					thisErr = 1;
				}
				if (str.substring(lat-1,lat)==dot || str.substring(lat+1,lat+2)==dot)
				{
					thisErr = 1;
				}
				if (str.indexOf(dot,(lat+2))==-1)
				{
					thisErr = 1;
				}
				if (str.indexOf(" ")!=-1)
				{
					thisErr = 1;
				}
				if (thisErr == 1)
				{
					document.getElementById(Desc).style.backgroundColor = '#FFFFCC';
					err = 1;
					msg = msg + "Invalid Email Address: " + Desc + "\n";
				}
			} // email check  */
			//phone number
			if(theForm.elements[e].phone)
			{ 
				var thisError = 0;
				var numval = theForm.elements[e].value;
				var valid1 = numval.search(/^\d\d\d-\d\d\d-\d\d\d\d$/);
				var valid2 = numval.search(/^\d\d\d \d\d\d \d\d\d\d$/);
				if (valid1 != 0 && valid2 !=0)
				{
					thisError = 1;
				}
				if (thisError == 1)
				{
					document.getElementById(Desc).style.backgroundColor = '#FFFFCC';
					err = 1;
					msg = msg + "The field: " + Desc + " requires a valid format phone/fax number. \n\n eg:\n123 456 7890\n123-456-7890\n";
				}
			} //if phone
		} //if required
	}  //loop
	if (err > 0)
	{
		alert(msg);
		return false;
	}
	else
	{
		return true;
	}	
} //function