// get an object's reference by ID, regardless of scope
// (called from inside frame or from outside)
// and regardless of browser DOM!

function getObjRef(frameID, objID) {
 var frameRef = document.getElementById(frameID);
 var directObjRef = document.getElementById(objID);

//
try {	// IE6 might give us some troubles here (e.g. access denied on "404" page)!
//

 if(directObjRef!=null)	// function called from inside frame

   return(directObjRef);

 else {	// function called from the outside

   if (frameRef!=null) {	// ok, it's there

     if (frameRef.contentDocument) { // FF
       var frameRefDoc = frameRef.contentDocument;
       } else if (frameRef.contentWindow) { // IE5.5, IE6
         var frameRefDoc = frameRef.contentWindow.document;
         } else if (frameRef.document) { // IE5
           var frameRefDoc = frameRef.document;
           }

     return(frameRefDoc.getElementById(objID))
     }

   else  return(null);	// houston, we got a problem: the referenced frame doesn't (yet) exist!
   }

//
} catch(error) {	// we're prepared and caught the bastard...
//

 return(null);

//
}
//

 }