function showHideLeft() {
    $('leftCol').toggle();
    $('mainCol').toggleClassName('extended');
    $('seperator').toggleClassName('collapsed');
}

function setSeperatorHeight() {
    mainH = $('mainCol').getHeight();
    leftH = $('leftCol').getHeight();

    seperatorH = mainH;
    if (leftH >= mainH) { seperatorH = leftH + 100 };

    $('seperator').setStyle({ "height": seperatorH + 'px' })
}

function setSeperatorHeightAndEvents() {
    setSeperatorHeight()
    $('seperator').observe('click', showHideLeft);
}

function setSideMenuSelection(selectedTopic, selectedSubItem, ulObject) {
    $(selectedTopic).className = 'arrowSelected';
    if (selectedSubItem) { $(selectedSubItem).addClassName("selected") };
    $(ulObject).show();
};

function toggleSeperatorBorderWidth() {
    $('seperator').toggleClassName('collapsedHover');
    toggleTimes++;
    if (toggleTimes < 6) {
        toggleSeperatorBorderWidth.delay(0.5);
    }        
}

var toggleTimes = 0;
function animAndCloseSideMenu() {
    showHideLeft();
    toggleSeperatorBorderWidth.delay(0.5);
}