function textCounter(field, countfield, maxlimit) {
    alert("max" + maxlimit)
    if (field.value.length > maxlimit) // if too long...trim it!
        field.value = field.value.substring(0, maxlimit);
    // otherwise, update 'characters left' counter
    else
        countfield.value = maxlimit - field.value.length;
}



function showChar(obj)
{
 var max=0;
 var obj3=document.getElementById("char");
 if(max==0)
 {
 max=obj3.firstChild.nodeValue*1;
 }
 len=obj.value.length;
 var cur=max*1;
 cur=cur-len;
 if(cur<0)
 {
 var obj2=document.forms['adForm'].elements['description'];
 var str=obj2.value.substring(0,max*1);
 obj2.value=str;
 showChar(obj2,max);
 return false;
 }
 else
 {
 var obj2=document.getElementById('char');
 var str=document.createTextNode(cur);
 obj2.replaceChild(str,obj2.firstChild);
 return true;
 }
}


function maxlength(element, maxvalue)
     {
     var q = eval("document.adForm."+element+".value.length");
     var r = q - maxvalue;
     var msg = "Sorry, you have input "+q+" characters into the "+
       "text area box you just completed. It can return no more than "+
       maxvalue+" characters to be processed. Please abbreviate "+
       "your text by at least "+r+" characters";
     if (q > maxvalue) alert(msg);
     }