var fadeToColor3 = "#666666";
var fadeBackColor3 = "#DDDDDD";
var fadeTime3 = 200;

// ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ //
// ----------------------------- check a text element for an empty string ------------------------------- //
// ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ //

	function isEmpty3(strClassName, strText , strMessage , intMinChars , strMinMessage) {
		var error = "";
		// check for the empty string
		if (strText == "") {
			error = strMessage.concat("\n");
			if (strClassName != "") { $(strClassName).animate( { color: fadeToColor3 }, fadeTime3 ); }
			return error;
		}
		// check for minimum number of characters
		if (intMinChars != 0) {
			if (strText.length < intMinChars) {
				error = strMinMessage.concat("\n");
				if (strClassName != "") { $(strClassName).animate( { color: fadeToColor3 }, fadeTime3 ); }
				return error;
			}
		}
		 if (strClassName != "") { $(strClassName).animate( { color: fadeBackColor3 }, fadeTime3 ); }
		else { return error; }
	}