function format(){
 
    var formatted_str = arguments[0] || '';
 
    for(var i=1; i<arguments.length; i++){
        var re = new RegExp("\\{"+(i-1)+"}", "gim");
        formatted_str = formatted_str.replace(re, arguments[i]);
    }
    
    return formatted_str;
};

function dict_format(){
    var formatted_str = arguments[0] || '';
    var dict = arguments[1];
    for(var key in dict){
        var re = new RegExp("\\{"+key+"}", "gim");
        formatted_str = formatted_str.replace(re, dict[key]);
    }
    return formatted_str;
}

function toggleFieldHelp(event, item, hide){
    var val = item.value.trim();
    var help = item.getSiblings(format('span.help_text[rel={0}]', item.name))[0];
    
    if (hide === true ){
        return help.hide(); 
    } else if (val === ''){
        return (help.hasClass('inline'))? help.setStyle('display', 'inline'): help.show(); 
    } 
    return help.hide(); 
};