function makeSideLink(theMenuLink, path)
{
      var root;
	  var theMenuLink, path;
	  var first, last, linkText, fileName, firstSeven, firstChar; 

	  root="http://www.co.travis.tx.us";
      first = 0;
      last = (theMenuLink.indexOf("***"));
      linkText = (theMenuLink.slice(first,last));
      first = last + 3;
      last = (theMenuLink.length);
      fileName = (theMenuLink.slice(first,last));
      firstSeven = (fileName.slice(0,7));
      firstChar = (fileName.slice(0,1));

// external or unrelated page link
  if ((firstSeven=="http://")||(firstSeven=="mailto:")||(firstChar=="/"))
    {
       x=("<p><a class='level' href='" + fileName + "'>");
       x=x + (linkText + "</a></p>");
    }
// current page
  else if ((root + path + fileName) == location.href)
    {
       x=("<p class='current_page'>" + linkText + "</p>");
    }
// link to another page in same folder
  else
    {
       x=("<p><a class='level' href='" + path + fileName + "'>");
       x=x + (linkText + "</a></p>");
    }
    return x;
}