var errMsg = {
      // Checks for when a specified field is required
      required: {
          msg: "This field is required.",
          test: function(obj,load) {
              // Make sure that something was not entered and that this
              // isn't on page load (showing 'field required' messages
              // would be annoying on page load)
              return obj.value || load || obj.value == obj.defaultValue;
          }
      },
          
      // Makes sure that the field s a valid email address
      email: {
          msg: "Not a valid email address.",
          test: function(obj) {
              // Make sure that something was entered and that it looks like
              // an email address
              return !obj.value || 
                  /^[a-z0-9_+.-]+\@([a-z0-9-]+\.)+[a-z0-9]{2,4}$/i.test(\; obj.value\; );\; \}\; \},$// Makes sure the field is a phone number and
      // auto-formats the number if it is one
      phone: {
          msg: "Not a valid phone number.",
          test: function(obj) {
              // Check to see if we have something that looks like
              // a valid phone number
              var m = /(\d{3}).*(\d{3}).*(\d{4})/.exec( obj.value );
                          
              // If it is, seemingly, valid - force it into the specific
              // format that we desire: (123) 456-7890
              if ( m ) obj.value = "(" + m[1] + ") " + m[2] + "-" + m[3];
                                  
              return !obj.value || m;
          }
      },
          
      // Makes sure that the field is a valid MM/DD/YYYY date
      date: {
          msg: "Not a valid date.",
          test: function(obj) {
              // Make sure that something is entered, and that it
              // looks like a valid MM/DD/YYYY date
              return !obj.value || /^\d{2}\/\d{2}\/\d{2,4}/.test(obj.value);
          }
      },
          
      // Makes sure that the field is a valid URL
      url: {
          msg: "Not a valid URL.",
          test: function(obj) {
              // Make sure that some text was entered, and that it's
              // not the default http:// text
                  return !obj.value || obj.value == 'http://' ||
                      // Make sure that it looks like a valid URL
                      /^https?:\/\/([a-z0-9-]+\.)+[a-z0-9]{2,4}.*$/.test(\; obj.value\; );\; \}\; \}$};