function initForm() {
		x = new dojo.io.FormBind({
			formNode: "add_shoutbox_message",
			load: function(type, data, e) {
				// data is the returned string; you must add the new message to the list
				if ( data == 'You are not allowed to post messages!' ) {
					alert(data);
				} else {
					document.getElementById('shoutbox_messages').innerHTML = data + document.getElementById('shoutbox_messages').innerHTML;
					document.getElementById('shout_no').value = parseInt(document.getElementById('shout_no').value) + 1;
					document.getElementById('type_shout_textarea').innerHTML = '';
					document.getElementById('type_shout_textarea').value = '';
					if ( document.getElementById('empty_shout') ) {
						document.getElementById('empty_shout').style.display = 'none';
					}
					ColorShouts();
				}
			}
		});
	}
	
	function ShowPreviousShouts( messagePerPage, category, pkID ) {
		var shoutNo = parseInt(document.getElementById('shout_no').value);
		
		if ( !document.getElementById('change_button_off') ) {
			var requestUrl = "shoutbox/get_previous_shouts.php?message_per_page=" + 
								+ encodeURIComponent(messagePerPage) + "&category=" + 
								+ encodeURIComponent(category) + "&pk_id=" + 
								+ encodeURIComponent(pkID) + "&shout_no=" + 
								+ encodeURIComponent(shoutNo);
	
			var bindArgs = {
			    url:        requestUrl,
			    mimetype:   "text/html",
			    error:      function(type, errObj){
					alert("Problem retrieving data from the server");
			    },
			    load:      function(type, data, evt){
			    	document.getElementById('shoutbox_messages').innerHTML = document.getElementById('shoutbox_messages').innerHTML + data;
			    	document.getElementById('shout_no').value = parseInt(document.getElementById('shout_no').value) + parseInt(messagePerPage);
			    	if ( document.getElementById('change_button_off') && document.getElementById('change_button_off').value == 'off' ) {
			    		document.getElementById('showhide_previous_messages').innerHTML = 'Hide previous shouts.';
			    	}
			    	ColorShouts();
			    }
			};
			
			// dispatch the request
		    var requestObj = dojo.io.bind(bindArgs);
		} else {
			document.getElementById('shoutbox_messages').innerHTML = '';
    		document.getElementById('showhide_previous_messages').innerHTML = 'Click here for previous shouts.';
    		document.getElementById('shout_no').value = 0;
    		ShowPreviousShouts( messagePerPage, category, pkID );
		}
	}
	
	function ColorShouts() {
		if ( document.getElementById('shoutbox_messages') ) {
			var arrMessages = document.getElementById('shoutbox_messages').getElementsByTagName('td');
			var count = 0;
			for(var i = 0; i < arrMessages.length; i++) {
				if ( arrMessages[i].className == 'text_shout' ) {
					if ( count % 2 == 1 ) {
						arrMessages[i].style.backgroundColor = '#FBF9EB';
					} else {
						arrMessages[i].style.backgroundColor = '#FFFFFF';
					}
					count++;
				}
			}
		}
	}