function sleep(milliseconds) {
  var start = new Date().getTime();
  for (var i = 0; i < 1e7; i++) {
    if ((new Date().getTime() - start) > milliseconds){
      break;
    }
  }
}

function debugObj(obj){
  var debug ='';
  debug =+ 'Object: '+obj;
  var props = [];
  for(var prop in obj){
    try {
      props.push(prop + ': ' + obj[prop]);
    } catch(E) {
      props.push(prop + ': ERROR - ' + E.message);
    }
  }
  props.sort();
  for(var i = 0; i < props.length; i++) {
    debug += props[i]+'\r\n';
  }
  console.debug('--------------------------------');
  console.debug(debug);
  console.debug('--------------------------------');
  return debug;
}

function urlIdHelper(url) {
/* assumes url with __ID__ as placeholder */
  var placeholder = "__ID__";
  var index = url.indexOf(placeholder);
  var prefix = "";
  var suffix = "";
  if (index != -1) {
    prefix = url.substring(0,index);
    suffix = url.substring(index + placeholder.length);
  } else {
    prefix = url;
  }
  var result = { "prefix": prefix, "suffix": suffix };
  return result;
}

function substringBefore(str, search) {
  var pos = str.indexOf(search);
  if ( pos != -1 ) {
    return str.substring(0,pos);
  }
  else {
    return str;
  }
}

function substringBeforeLast(str, search) {
  var pos = str.lastIndexOf(search);
  if ( pos != -1 ) {
    return str.substring(0,pos);
  }
  else {
    return str;
  }
}

function substringAfter(str, search) {
  var pos = str.indexOf(search);
  if ( pos != -1 ) {
    return str.substring(pos+search.length);
  }
  else {
    return str;
  }
}

function substringAfterLast(str, search) {
  var pos = str.lastIndexOf(search);
  if ( pos != -1 ) {
    return str.substring(pos+search.length);
  }
  else {
    return str;
  }
}

/*
var timerID = null;
var timerRunning = false;

function stopclock () {
  if (timerRunning) clearTimeout(timerID);
  timerRunning = false;
}

function showtime(dateId) {
  var now = new Date();
  var hours = now.getHours();
  var minutes = now.getMinutes();
  var seconds = now.getSeconds();
  if (timeValue == "0") timeValue += "0";
  timeValue += ((minutes < 10) ? ":0" : ":") + minutes;
  timeValue += ((seconds < 10) ? ":0" : ":") + seconds;

  dojo.byId(dateId).attr('content',timeValue);

  var funcName = 'showtime(' + dateId + ')';
  timerID = setTimeout(funcName,1000);
  timerRunning = true;
}

function startclock() {
  stopclock();
  showtime();
}
*/