function getURLParam(strParamName){
    var strReturn = "";
    var strHref = window.location.href;
    if ( strHref.indexOf("?") > -1 ){
      var strQueryString = strHref.substr(strHref.indexOf("?"));
      var aQueryString = strQueryString.split("&");
      for ( var iParam = 0; iParam < aQueryString.length; iParam++ )
      {
        if (aQueryString[iParam].indexOf(strParamName + "=") > -1 )
        {
          var aParam = aQueryString[iParam].split("=");
          strReturn = aParam[1];
          strReturn = strReturn.replace(/%20/g, " ");
          break;
        }
      }
    }
    return strReturn;
  } 

  function createMenuString(searchlocale){
    var continent=document.getElementById("continent").value;
    var region=document.getElementById("region").value;
    var appelation=document.getElementById("appelation").value;
    var subappelation=document.getElementById("subappelation").value;
    var wineryname=document.getElementById("wineryname").value;
    return createMenuStringReal(searchlocale,continent,region,appelation,subappelation,wineryname);
  }

  function createMenuStringReal(searchlocale,continent,region,appelation,subappelation,wineryname){
    if( continent == '') continent = 'none';
    if( region == '') region = 'none';
    if( appelation == '') appelation = 'none';
    if( subappelation == '') subappelation = 'none';
    var menustr = "&searchlocale=" + encodeURI(searchlocale) + 
                  "&continent=" + encodeURI(continent) + 
                  "&region=" + encodeURI(region) + 
                  "&appelation=" + encodeURI(appelation) + 
                  "&subappelation=" + encodeURI(subappelation) + 
                  "&wineryname=" + encodeURI(wineryname);
//    alert(menustr);
    return menustr
  }

  function getSelectedContinent(locale) {
    locale = locale.toLowerCase();
    if(locale == "usa" ) return 1;
    if(locale == "canada" ) return 2;
    if(locale == "europe" ) return 3;
    if(locale == "australia" ) return 4;
    if(locale == "new zealand" ) return 5;
    if(locale == "South America" ) return 6;
    if(locale == "middle east" ) return 7;
    if(locale == "africa" ) return 8;
    if(locale == "asia" ) return 9;
    return 0;
  }