function maxchars(element) 
{ 
   var old = document.getElementById('counter').value; 
   var limit = 300; document.getElementById('counter').value=document.getElementById(element).value.length; 
   if(document.getElementById('counter').value > limit && old <= limit) 
   { 
      alert('Too many characters'); 
         if(document.styleSheets) 
         { 
            document.getElementById('counter').style.fontWeight = 'bold'; 
            document.getElementById('counter').style.color = '#ff0000'; 
         } 
   } 
   else if(document.getElementById('counter').value <= limit && old > limit && document.styleSheets ) 
   { 
      document.getElementById('counter').style.fontWeight = 'normal'; document.getElementById('counter').style.color = '#000000'; 
   } 
}