function liveEdit_activate( span, index ) {
   if ( functions[ index ] && functions[ index ] != null ) {
      functions[ index ]( span );
   }
   
   var width = getWidth( span ) + 20;
   var height = getHeight( span ) + 5;
   width = ( width < 100 ) ? 200 : width;
   height = ( height < 20 ) ? 20 : height;
   
   if ( span.innerHTML.length < 255 ) {
      span.innerHTML =  "<input id = '" + span.id + "_field' class = '" + span.className + "' style = 'width: " + ( width ) + "px; height: " + ( height ) + "px;' type = 'text' value = '" + span.innerHTML + "' onkeypress = 'return liveEdit_enterCheck(this, event)' onfocus = 'highLight(this);' onblur = 'noLight(this); return liveEdit_process(this);' />";
   } else {
      span.innerHTML = "<textarea name = 'textarea' id = '" + span.id + "_field' class = '" + span.className + "' style = 'width: " + ( width ) + "px; height: " + ( height ) + "px;' onfocus = 'highLight(this);' onblur = 'noLight(this); return liveEdit_process(this);'>" + span.innerHTML + "</textarea>";
   }
   
   span.firstChild.focus();alert(1);
}


// THE FUNCTION CALLED IS: //

function prep_process( text ) {alert(2);
   prepped_span.innerHTML = text;
}


but alert(1) is executed before alert(2)....