function flash_write_object ( objecthtml ) {
   // this function allows for flash content to be written to the page without showing the bounding box IE adds in
   document.write ( objecthtml );
}

function flash_can_connect () {
// THIS DOESN'T WORK PROPERLY FOR SOME BROWSERS - A WRITE CAN BE MADE, BUT A READ CANNOT, SO THIS IS NOT RELIABLE

   var canconnecttoflash = false;

   if ( document.embeds && document.embeds.length ) {
      for ( var i = 0; i < document.embeds.length; i++ ) {
         if ( document.embeds[i].name == "textinput" ) {
            // this line will fail and prevent continued execution of this function if on Mac IE or Safari
            canconnecttoflash = document.embeds[i].GetVariable ( "xmllocation" );
         }
      }
   }
   else if ( navigator.platform != "MacPPC" && document.getElementById ( "textinput" ) ) {
      canconnecttoflash = document.getElementById ( "textinput" ). GetVariable ( "xmllocation" );
   }

   if ( canconnecttoflash && canconnecttoflash != "0" ) return true;
   else return false;

}