function signin()
{
	var user = $("#username").val();
	var password_clear = $("#password").val();
	
	var password = md5(password_clear);
	
	var qstring = "functions/auth.php?signin";
	var datastring = "username=" + user + "&password=" + password;
	
	$("#loading").ajaxStart(function(){
		$(this).attr('src', 'pres/img/loading.gif')
	});
	
	$("#loading").ajaxStop(function(){
		$(this).attr('src', 'pres/img/loading_off.gif')
	});

	$.ajax({
	type: "POST",
	url: qstring,
	data: datastring,
	dataType: "xml",
	success: function(xml) {
		var msg = $(xml).find('message').text();
		var auth = $(xml).find('auth').attr("status");
		if (auth == "user")
		{
			$("#signinflag").text("1");
			var user = $(xml).find('username').text();
			$("#user").text(user);
			var userid = $(xml).find('userid').text();
			$("#userid").text(userid);	
			var name = $(xml).find('name').text();			
			var msg = $(xml).find('message').text();
			$("#authenticateform").hide();
			$("#account,#settli,#itemcontrols").show();
			
			var fin = name + " " + msg;
			showmessage(fin);
			items();
		}
		else
		{
			showmessage(msg);
		}
		}//close success
	}); //close $.ajax(			
}; //close func