function makeNiceString( the_string )
{
    var repl_count = 9;
    var work_string = the_string;
    var replacements = new Array( repl_count );
    var temp_object;
    
    if( typeof(the_string) == "undefined" || the_string == "" )
    {
        return "";
    }

    temp_object = new Object();
    temp_object["search"] = "ä";
    temp_object["replace"] = "ä";
    replacements[0] = temp_object;

    temp_object = new Object();
    temp_object["search"] = "ü";
    temp_object["replace"] = "ü";
    replacements[1] = temp_object;

    temp_object = new Object();
    temp_object["search"] = "ö";
    temp_object["replace"] = "ö";
    replacements[2] = temp_object;

    temp_object = new Object();
    temp_object["search"] = "Ä";
    temp_object["replace"] = "Ä";
    replacements[3] = temp_object;

    temp_object = new Object();
    temp_object["search"] = "Ü";
    temp_object["replace"] = "Ü";
    replacements[4] = temp_object;

    temp_object = new Object();
    temp_object["search"] = "Ö";
    temp_object["replace"] = "Ö";
    replacements[5] = temp_object;

    temp_object = new Object();
    temp_object["search"] = "ß";
    temp_object["replace"] = "ß";
    replacements[6] = temp_object;

    temp_object = new Object();
    temp_object["search"] = "®";
    temp_object["replace"] = "";
    replacements[7] = temp_object;

    temp_object = new Object();
    temp_object["search"] = " ";
    temp_object["replace"] = " ";
    replacements[8] = temp_object;

    for (var i = 0; i < repl_count; i++ )
    {
        do
        {
            index_found = work_string.indexOf( replacements[i]["search"] );
            if( index_found != - 1 )
            {
                work_string = work_string.substr( 0, index_found ) + replacements[i]["replace"] + work_string.substr( index_found + replacements[i]["search"].length, work_string.length - index_found + replacements[i]["search"].length );
            }
        }
        while( index_found != -1 )
    }
    return work_string;
}