/*
   If the default text is present, set the submitted value to blank instead
   ==================================================================================
*/
function val_course_search(frm)
{
	form_field = frm.courseSearch_field;
	
	if (form_field.value == 'Type your course search keywords here...')
	{
		frm.meta_s_orsand.value = '';
		form_field.style.backgroundColor = '#FFFF66';
	}
}
<!--JAVASCRIPT TO REMOVE TEXT FROM SEARCH BOX WHEN CLICKED ON - AND ALSO NOT ALLOW BLANK SEARCHES -->

function colorChg(FormItem, ItemColor)
{
	if(FormItem.style) FormItem.style.backgroundColor = ItemColor;
}
		
function raiseerror(s_srch,strerror)
{
	FormHead = "";
	alert(FormHead + strerror)
	s_srch.focus();
	
	var frmType = s_srch.type;
	
	if(frmType.substring(0, 3) != "sel")
	{
		s_srch.select();
	}
	colorChg(s_srch, bgerr);
}

function chk_keyword(textObj)
{
	var newValue = textObj.value;
	var newLength = textObj.length;
	var extraChars = "0123456789 -.£";
	var search;
	
	for(var i = 0; i != newLength; i++)
	{
		aChar = textObj.substring(i,i+1);
		aChar = aChar.toUpperCase();
		search = extraChars.indexOf(aChar);
		if(search == -1 && (aChar < "A" || aChar > "Z"))
		{
			return false;
		}
	}
	return true;
}

function val_search(frm)
{
	objfrm = frm.siteSearch_field;	
	bgok = "#e4bdbe";
	bgerr = "#e4bdbe";
	var objRegExp = / /g;
	colorChg (objfrm, bgok);
	var jsFirstname = new String(objfrm.value);		
	jsFirstname = jsFirstname.replace(objRegExp, '')
	
	if((frm.siteSearch_field.value.length < 2) || (frm.siteSearch_field.value == 'Search Staffs Uni...'))
	{
		alert("Please make sure that you have entered at least 2 characters\nand that you only use letters, numbers and spaces.")
		objfrm.style.backgroundColor = '#FFFF66'
		return false;
	}
	else
	{
	return true;
	}
}
	
function clr_s_srch(ele)
{
	ele.value = '';
}
	

function gotoLink(form) 
{
	var OptionIndex=form.ListBoxURL.selectedIndex;
	parent.location = form.ListBoxURL.options[OptionIndex].value;
}