function getQueryVariable() {
  var query = window.location.search.substring(1);
  var vars = query.split("&");
      return vars;
}
function getHTTPObject() {
  //Create a boolean variable to check for a valid Internet Explorer instance.
var xmlhttp = false;
//Check if we are using IE.
 try {
  //If the Javascript version is greater than 5.
  xmlhttp = new ActiveXObject("Msxml2.XMLHTTP");
 } catch (e) {
  //If not, then use the older active x object.
  try {
  //If we are using Internet Explorer.
  xmlhttp = new ActiveXObject("Microsoft.XMLHTTP");
 } catch (E) {
//Else we must be using a non-IE browser.
xmlhttp = false;
 }
}
//If we are using a non-IE browser, create a javascript instance of the object.
 if (!xmlhttp && typeof XMLHttpRequest != 'undefined') {
 xmlhttp = new XMLHttpRequest();
 }
 return xmlhttp;
}

function check_file(url, abc) {
        http_check = getHTTPObject();
    http_check.open("GET", url, true);
        if(http_check.readyState == 1) {
          http_check.onreadystatechange = function() {
                if(http_check.readyState == 4) {
                  if((http_check.status == 200)|| (http_check.status == 0)) {
                        if(abc == 'vote') {
                        var checked=false;
                        for(i=0;i<document.forms['poll']['vote'].length;i++){
                                if(document.forms['poll'].vote[i].checked){
                                checked=true;
                                }
                        }
                        if(checked == true){
                                        b1click();
                                } else {
                                        alert('Choose an answer before voting or click View Results.');
                                        return false;
                                }
                        } else if(abc == 'view-results'){
                                win=window.open('poll/poll_results.html','pollview','width=600,height=600,scrollbars=1,resizable=1');
                                win.window.focus();
                                return false;
                        }
                    }else if(http_check.status == 404) {
                        alert('The Solar Decathlon poll is currently unavailable. Please check back and try again.');
                    }
                }
          }
        }
        http_check.send(null);
}
function b1click()
{
  document.forms['poll'].submit();
}