/* cuts of the decimal part of a number */
function castToInt (aNumberIn)
{
    var aNumber = new Number (aNumberIn);
       
    // convert to a text first
    var text = aNumber.toString (); 
    
    // now parse back to an int 
    aNumber = parseInt (text);
    
    return aNumber;
}

/* make sure the number is withing specified limits */ 
function restrictToLimits (number, low, high)
{
    // sanity test
    lowLimit = Math.min (low, high);
    highLimit = Math.max (low, high);
    
    // enforce limits 
    if (number < lowLimit)
    {
        number = lowLimit;
    }
    
    if (number > highLimit)
    {
        number = highLimit;
    }
    
    return number;
}

/* round the number to next whole number
 * always rounds up if there's any decimal part */
function roundToNextInteger (number)
{
    iNumber = castToInt (number);
    if (number > iNumber)
    {
        iNumber++;
    }
    
    return iNumber;
}