function createRequestObject() {
  var req;
  if (window.XMLHttpRequest) { // Firefox, Safari, Opera...
    req = new XMLHttpRequest();
  } else if (window.ActiveXObject) { // Internet Explorer 5+
    req = new ActiveXObject("Microsoft.XMLHTTP");
  } else {
    // error creating the request object,
    // (maybe an old browser is being used?)
    alert('There was a problem creating the XMLHttpRequest object');
    req = '';
  }
  return req;
}

// Make the XMLHttpRequest object
var http = createRequestObject();

function sendRequest(searchval) {
  var now = new Date();
  http.open('get', 'scs/searchsuggest.cgi?search='+searchval);
  http.onreadystatechange = handleResponse;
  http.send(null);
}

function handleResponse() {
  if(http.readyState == 4 && http.status == 200){
    var response = http.responseText; // Text returned FROM perl script
    if(response) { // UPDATE ajaxTest content
      document.getElementById("searchsuggest").innerHTML = response;
    }
  }  
}  

function searchsuggestSubmit(s) {
  document.getElementById('search').value=s;
  document.getElementById('searchsuggest').innerHTML='';
  document.getElementById('searchform').submit();
}