function getLayer(divID, oDoc) {
  if( !oDoc ) { 
    oDoc = document; 
  }

  if( oDoc.layers ) {
    if( oDoc.layers[divID] ) {
      return oDoc.layers[divID];
    } else {
      /* repeatedly run through all child layers */
      for( var x = 0, y; !y && x < oDoc.layers.length; x++ ) {
        /* on success, return that layer, else return nothing */
        y = VA_GetElementById(divID, oDoc.layers[x].document);
      }
      return y;
    }
  }

  if (oDoc.getElementById ) {
    return oDoc.getElementById(divID);
  }

  if( oDoc.all ) {
    return oDoc.all[divID];
  }

  return false;
}