function validate_required(field, alerttxt) {
    with (field) {
        if (value == null || value == "") {
            alert(alerttxt); return false;
        }
        else {
            return true;
        }
    }
}

function validate_form(thisform) {
    with (thisform) {
        if (validate_required(q, "Please enter a search term.") == false)
        { q.focus(); return false; }
    }
}