function dbug(sString)
   { alert(sString); } 

  function fnRandomColourName()
  {
    var iRandom;
    var sReturn;
    var aaColourNames = new Array
      ("blue", "green", "orange", "red", "lightgreen", "lightblue");
    iRandom = Math.round(Math.random() * 5);
    return aaColourNames[iRandom];
  } // fnRandomColourName

  //** FUNCTION: 
  //**   fnColourDiamond(...)
  //** DATE:
  //**   March 2002
  //** DESCRIPTION:
  //**   creates a coloured diamond shape using the 
  //**   background colour attribute of an html table cell (<td>).
  //** STATUS: dev
  //** LOCATION: 
  //**   http://www.geocities.com/matth3wbishop/eg/javascript/
  function fnColourDiamond(iSize, sBgColour, iRepeat, iSpacing)
  {
    var bCellIsColoured = new Boolean(true);
    var iMiddleRowOffset;
    var iCenterColumn;    //-- 'middle' column
    var iCenterRow;       //-- the 'middle' row of the diamond
    var iFirstColourCell; //-- The column number of the first cell which is 
                          //-- 'within' the diamond, i.e. is coloured
    var iLastColourCell;  //-- The column number of the last cell which is 
                          //-- 'within' the diamond, i.e. is coloured
    var sReturn = "";

    //-- parameter defaults
    if (sBgColour == null)
      { sBgColour = "white"; }
    if (iSize == null)
      { iSize = 5; }
    if (iRepeat == null)
      { iRepeat = 1; }
    //-- prevent even numbered sizes (for now)
    if (iSize < 3) 
      { iSize = 5; }
    if ((iSize % 2) == 0)
      { iSize = iSize - 1; }
    if (iSpacing == null)
      { iSpacing = iSize; }

    //-- The columns use a 1-based numbering system but
    //-- the rows use a zero-based numbering. (?)
    iCenterColumn = ((iSize - 1)/ 2) + 1;
    iCenterRow = ((iSize - 1)/ 2);
    //dbug(iCenterColumn);
    sReturn += "<table cellpadding = '0' cellspacing = '0' \n" +
               "            border = '0'><tr> \n";

    for (var jj = 0; jj < iRepeat; jj++)
    {
      sReturn += "  <td>"; 
      sReturn += "  <table cellpadding = '0' cellspacing = '0' \n" +
                 "              border = '0'> \n";
      for (var iCurrentRow = 0; iCurrentRow < iSize; iCurrentRow++)
      {
        iMiddleRowOffset = iCenterRow - Math.abs(iCenterRow - iCurrentRow)
        iFirstColourCell = iCenterColumn - iMiddleRowOffset;
        iLastColourCell = iCenterColumn + iMiddleRowOffset;
        //alert(iMiddleRowOffset);

        sReturn += "  <tr> \n";

        for (var iCurrentColumn = 1; iCurrentColumn < iSize+1; iCurrentColumn++)
        {
          if ((iCurrentColumn >= iFirstColourCell) &&
              (iCurrentColumn <= iLastColourCell))
             { bCellIsColoured = true; }
           else
             { bCellIsColoured = false; }
                       
          if (bCellIsColoured)
          {
            sReturn +=
              "    <td bgcolor = '" + fnRandomColourName() + "'>&nbsp;</td> \n";
          }
          else
          {
            sReturn +=
              "    <td bgcolor = '" + sBgColour + "'>&nbsp;</td> \n";
          } /* if, else */


        } /* for each col */
        sReturn += "  </tr> \n";
      } /* for each row */
      sReturn += "  </table> \n";
      sReturn += "</td> \n";

      if (iSpacing != 0)
      {
        sReturn +=
          "<td> \n" +
          "  <table cellpadding = '0' cellspacing = '0' \n" +
          "              border = '0'> \n";
          
        for (var kk = 0; kk < iSize; kk++)
        {
          sReturn +=
            "<tr> \n";
          for (var nn = 0; nn < iSpacing; nn++)
          {
            sReturn +=
              "<td   bgcolor = '" + sBgColour + "'>&nbsp;</td> \n";
          } // for
          sReturn +=
            "</tr> \n";
        } // for each spacer row
        sReturn +=
            "  </table> \n" +
            "</td> \n";         
      } // if iSpacing not 0      
    } // for iRepeat
    sReturn += "</tr>";
    sReturn += "</table>";
    //alert(sReturn);
    return sReturn;
  } // fnColourDiamond()