function loadAtlas(videoWidth,videoRatio,variableArray){
	// to overright one of the variables below... add the following line to the SWFOBJECT script
	// =================================================
	// /////////////////////////////////////////////////
	/*
		atlasLoader.addVariable("VariableName","Value");
	*/
	// /////////////////////////////////////////////////
	// =================================================
	// loadPath :		The main path for loading all atlas components
	// ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
	// atlasType :		is used to pull both the main image skin and to pull the 
	//				current topics from the XML file							
	// ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
	// atlasLanguage	selects the correct folder to pull your assets from. it also 
	//				lets the text section know whether it needs to handle 
	//				characters in a special way (ie. arabic text)
	// ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
	// assetPath		sets the path for 'video','model','slides','text'
	// ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
	// autoLoadClip		designates which section should run automatically when a topic
	//				is selected
	// ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
	// selected_topic	if selected topic is set to a topic id that exists in the xml
	//				that is loaded, the topic will begin playing automatically
	//				when the atlas launches. this is most useful when clicking 
	//				an html link for a specific topic, which will then send
	//				the correct JS variable upon launching the atlas
	// ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
	// videoFolder		selects the folder from which to load the video files
	// ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
	// videoBufferTime	designates the number (in seconds) for how long you want a
	//				video to buffer before playing
	// ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
	// videoLoadPercent	designates the number (in seconds) for how long you want a
	//				video to buffer before playing
	// ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
	// videoType		designates whether the video is an flv or swf format
	// ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
	// videoAR		designates whether a video is 16x9 ('wide') or 4x3 ('standard')
	// ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
	// modelType		designates whether the qtvr model rorates on one axis or more
	//				if set to standar, the model only rotates on the x axis
	// ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
	// modelAspectRatio	designates whether the qtvr is 4x3 or 16x9
	// ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
	// skinColor		designates the folder to pull the background skins from
	//				also used to add external movie clips that are named with the
	//				'_skinColor' suffix
	// ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
	// skinBuild		designates the folder from which to pull all skins from
	//				default is 'skin/builds/' but there is a also a
	//				'skin/custom/' folder
	// ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
	// screenImage		designates the path for the main image loaded to screenLoader
	//				default is the name of the atlas being loaded
	// ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
	// XMLPath		designates the path for the xml file being loaded
	// ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------	
	
	// set sizing
	if(videoRatio == 'widescreen')	var videoHeight = Math.round(videoWidth/1.78);
	else							var videoHeight = Math.round(videoWidth/1.33);	
	videoWidth += 358;
	videoHeight += 109;	
	// include SWF OBJECT
	var atlasLoader = new SWFObject("/ppdocs/us/cns/content/blausen/dvd/mainLoader.swf", "atlas", videoWidth, videoHeight, "8", "#000000");

	//establish the MerckSource default for loadPath
	atlasLoader.addVariable("loadPath","/ppdocs/us/cns/content/blausen/dvd/atlas/");
	atlasLoader.addVariable("skinBuild","/ppdocs/us/cns/content/blausen/dvd/atlas/skins/builds/black/");

	// for each variable that was added to the array, run the for loop to add an "addVariable" to the atlasLoader
	var i;
	for(i=0;i<variableArray.length;++i){
		atlasLoader.addVariable(variableArray[i][0],variableArray[i][1]);
	}

	// set window mode to transparent
	atlasLoader.addParam("wmode", "transparent");
	atlasLoader.addParam("allowFullScreen", "true");
	atlasLoader.write("atlasHolder");
}