// this function formats the control id to be used in the postback function
function replaceUnderscoresForDollarSigns(underscoreString, originalId) {
    // remove originalId from underscore string
    var noOriginalIdString = underscoreString.replace(originalId, '');

    // replace any underscores with dollar-signs
    noOriginalIdString = noOriginalIdString.replace(/_/g, "$");

    // concat them back together and send it back
    return noOriginalIdString + originalId;
}