// based on code from http://www.w3schools.com/ajax/ajax_source.asp
    var xmlHttp;
    var dept = "_";
    var family = "_";
    var given = "_";
    var keyword = "_";
    //---------------------------------------------------------------
    function GetXmlHttpObject() {
      var xmlHttp=null;
      try {
        xmlHttp=new XMLHttpRequest();      // Firefox, Opera 8.0+, Safari
      } catch (e) {
        try {      // Internet Explorer
          xmlHttp=new ActiveXObject("Msxml2.XMLHTTP");
        } catch (e) {
          xmlHttp=new ActiveXObject("Microsoft.XMLHTTP");
        }
      }
      return xmlHttp;
    }
    //---------------------------------------------------------------
    function stateChanged() {
      if (xmlHttp.readyState==4) {
        document.getElementById("temp_list").innerHTML = xmlHttp.responseText;
      }
    }
    //---------------------------------------------------------------
    function uDept (str) {
      dept = str;
      go();
    }
    //---------------------------------------------------------------
    function uGiven (str) {
      given = str;
      go();
    }
    //---------------------------------------------------------------
    function uFamily (str) {
      family = str;
      go();
    }
    //---------------------------------------------------------------
    function uKeyword (str) {
      keyword = str;
      go();
    }
    //---------------------------------------------------------------
    function go() {
      xmlHttp=GetXmlHttpObject()
      if (xmlHttp==null) {
        alert ("Your browser does not support AJAX!");
        return;
      }

      //var url = "http://www2.fbe.unsw.edu.au/staff/search.asp?"+
      //          "d="+dept+ "&g="+given+ "&f="+family+ "&k="+keyword
      var url = "/staff/search.asp?d="+dept+ "&g="+given+ "&f="+family+ "&k="+keyword

      xmlHttp.onreadystatechange=stateChanged;
      try {
        xmlHttp.open("GET",url,true);
        xmlHttp.send(null);
      } catch(e) {
        document.getElementById("temp_list").innerHTML += "exception error : "+e.name+" : "+e.message+"<br>";
      }
    }