function splitStringForItemX(stringToSplit,seperator,diffNum) {
  // splits a string into an array using the seperator
  // takes item itemX of this array and returns it
  arrayOfStrings = stringToSplit.split(seperator);
  var itemXNum = arrayOfStrings.length - diffNum;
  var itemX =  arrayOfStrings[itemXNum];
  return itemX;
}

function splitStringForLastItem(stringToSplit,seperator) {
  // splits a string into an array using the seperator
  // takes the last item of this array and returns it
  var arrayOfStrings = new Array();
  arrayOfStrings = stringToSplit.split(seperator);
  var lastItemNum = arrayOfStrings.length - 1;
  var lastItem =  arrayOfStrings[lastItemNum];
  return lastItem;
}

function splitStringForFirstItem(stringToSplit,seperator) {
  // splits a string into an array using the seperator
  // takes the first item of this array and returns it
  var arrayOfStrings = new Array();
  arrayOfStrings = stringToSplit.split(seperator);
  var firstItem =  arrayOfStrings[0];
  return firstItem;
}