if($('#'+thisSection).children('article').length>0) {
    if($('#'+thisSection).children('article').css('display')=='none') {
//reopen section
        thisContent=document.getElementById(thisSection).getElementsByTagName('article')[0];
        thisContent.style.display="block";
        thisContent.style.height=0;
        scissors.style.width="95%";
        thisWhite.style.width="100%";
        setTimeout(function() { thisContent.style.height=contentHeight[thisSection]; },1);
        setTimeout(function() { thisContent.className += " sectionBorder"; },250);
    }
    else {
//close section
        thisContent=document.getElementById(thisSection).getElementsByTagName('article')[0];
        thisContent.style.height=0;
        thisWhite.style.width="0.4em";
        scissors.style.width=scissorWidth;
        setTimeout(function() { thisContent.className -= " sectionBorder"; },250);
        setTimeout(function() { thisContent.style.display="none"; },500);
    }
}
else {
//open section for the first time
    $('#'+thisSection).append(data+'\r\n\t\t\t\t'+'<footer class="white"></footer>');
    thisContent=document.getElementById(thisSection).getElementsByTagName('article')[0];
    $(thisContent).wrapInner('<div />');
    contentHeight[thisSection]=(window.getComputedStyle(thisContent).getPropertyValue('height'));
    console.log('contentHeight[thisSection] = '+contentHeight[thisSection]);
//outputs "contentHeight[thisSection] = 48px"
    thisContent.style.height=0;
    if(!scissorWidth) {
        scissorWidth=window.getComputedStyle(scissors).getPropertyValue('width');
        console.log('scissorWidth = '+scissorWidth);
    //outputs "scissorWidth = 19.2px"
    }
    scissors.style.width=scissorWidth;
//width has been set to 0
    setTimeout(function() {
        scissors.style.width="95%";
        thisWhite.style.width="100%";
    }
    ,1);
    setTimeout(function() { thisContent.style.height=contentHeight[thisSection]; },1);
//height has been set correctly
    setTimeout(function() { thisContent.className += " sectionBorder"; },250);
}