functions in objects declared outside

[mghfaust]

Hi,
I am fairly new to programming. I am having a problem:

I defined a function for converting a datetime variable into a nice format for presentation. I want to use it in many places in my site, including from within an object that I use for displaying a message tree. Problem is, I am getting an undefined function error, even though I know the function's file has been included, and the function name is correct.

Is there something about objects and functions I don't understand?

Note, this is a function declared outside the object -- could that be the problem? But if I try to declare the function again within the object, it, of course, gives me a cannot redeclare function error. Hmmmm.

thanks,
-mike