/* GET AN OBJECT */

var objects = new Array();
var type = 0;
if (document.getElementById)
{
    type = 1;
}
else if (document.all)
{
    type = 2;
}
else if (document.layers)
{
    type = 3;
}
function get_object(idname)
{
    if (typeof(objects[idname]) == "undefined")
    {
        if (type == 1)
        {
            objects[idname] = document.getElementById(idname);
        }
        else if (type == 2)
        {
            objects[idname] = document.all[idname];
        }
        else if (type == 3)
        {
            objects[idname] = document.layers[idname];
        }
    }
    return objects[idname];
}

x = get_object('some_id');
x.style = 'background-color: #000';