function getFirstParam (name) {
    var i;
    var params = location.search; //return everything in the URL from '?whatever=...'
	//alert('params=' + params);
	params = params.replace('?', '');
	//alert('params=' + params);
	
	var split = params.split('=');
	//alert('userName=' + split[1]);
	if (split[0] == name)
		return split[1];
	else 
		 return null;
}

//returns the value of the param else null
function getParamValue(paramName){
    var i;
    var params = location.search; //return everything in the URL from '?whatever=...'	
	//alert('params=' + params);
	if (params == null || params == ''){
		//alert('params is null or blank');
		return null;
	}
	params = params.replace('?', '');	
	var splitPair = params.split('&');
			
	for (i=0; i<splitPair.length; i++){
		//alert('pair[' + i + ']=' + splitPair[i]);
		var split = splitPair[i].split('=');
		if (split[0] == paramName){
			//alert('Match found. Value is: ' + split[1]);
			return split[1];
		}
	}
	
	return null;	
}