/**
 * DHTML textbox character counter (IE4+) script. Courtesy of SmartWebby.com (http://www.smartwebby.com/dhtml/)
 */

<!--
  var maxChars = 1000;
  function charsleft()
  {
   theInputBox = document.getElementById('messageText');
   theCountBox = document.getElementById('charsLeft');
   var currentChars = theInputBox.value.length;
   theCountBox.innerHTML = Math.max((maxChars - currentChars),0); 
  if(currentChars > maxChars)
   {
    theInputBox.value = theInputBox.value.substring(0,maxChars);
   }
  }
-->