function showHideFields(){
    if(document.getElementById("chkSend").checked){
        document.getElementById("friend").style.display = "block";
    }else{
        document.getElementById("friend").style.display = "none";
    }
}

function watchTextInput(id, intLength) {
    if(document.getElementById(id)) {
        var textarea = document.getElementById(id);
        textarea.onkeyup = function () {
            countString(id, intLength);
        }
    }else{
        alert("no textarea found to watch");	
    }
}

function countString(element, intLength) {
    var theStr = document.getElementById(element).value;
    if(theStr.length > intLength) {
        document.getElementById(element).value = theStr.substring(0, intLength);
    }
}