Read imported style properties

function getElementStyle(elemID, IEStyleProp, CSSStyleProp) 
{
  var elem = document.getElementById(elemID);
  if (elem.currentStyle) {
      return elem.currentStyle[IEStyleProp];
  } else if (window.getComputedStyle) {
      var compStyle = window.getComputedStyle(elem, "");
      return compStyle.getPropertyValue(CSSStyleProp);
  }
  return "";
}

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oreillynet