function isEmpty( val )
{
  switch (typeof(val))
  {
    case 'string':
      return trim(val).length == 0 ? true : false;
      break;
    case 'number':
      return val == 0;
      break;
    case 'object':
      return val == null;
      break;
    case 'array':
      return val.length == 0;
      break;
    default:
      return true;
  }
};

function trim( text )
{
  if (typeof(text) == "string")
  {
    return text.replace(/^\s*|\s*$/g, "");
  }
  else
  {
    return text;
  }
}