var MyElementFunctions = {
  removeChildNodes: function(element) {
    element = $(element);
    while(element.hasChildNodes())
      element.removeChild(element.lastChild);
  },
	
	deleteChildNodes: function(element) {
	  while (element.hasChildNodes())
	  	element.removeChild(element.lastChild);
	  return element;
	},
  
  copyChildNodes: function(element, existing, copyValue) {
    element = $(element);
    existing = $(existing);
    element.removeChildNodes();
    for (var i = 0; i < existing.childNodes.length; i++)
      element.appendChild(existing.childNodes[i].cloneNode(true));
    if (copyValue)
      element.value = existing.value;
  },
  
	setText: function(element, text) {
		element.deleteChildNodes();
		element.appendChild(document.createTextNode(text));
		return element;
	},
  
  selectedText: function(element) {
    element = $(element);
    return element.options[element.selectedIndex].text;
  },
	
	setEnabled: function(element, enabled) {
		if (element.enable && element.disable) {
			if (enabled)
				element.enable();
			else
				element.disable();
		}
		if (enabled)
			element.removeClassName('disabled');
		else
			element.addClassName('disabled');
		element.childElements().each(function(child) {
			child.setEnabled(enabled);
		});
	}
}

Element.addMethods(MyElementFunctions);