function includeSkin($name, $param=null) {
        if (strlen($name) > Gen::$CLASS_MAX_LENGTH)
            throw new PntValidationException("$this - skin name too long: '$name'");

        $this->checkAlphaNumeric($name);
		$dir = $this->getDir();
		pntCheckIncludePath($dir);
		$filePath = "../$dir"."skin$name.php";
// print "<BR>includeSkin($name) $dir";
		if (file_exists($filePath)) {
			$included = include($filePath); //includeSkin from app folder
			if (!$included) 
				print "\n<BR>last warning was from includeSkin in: ". $this->getName();
		} else {
			$includesDir = $this->getIncludesDir();
			$included = include("../$includesDir/skin$name.php"); //includeSkin from includes folder
			if (!$included) 
				print "\n<BR>". $this->getName(). ' includeSkin could not include just before failure: '. $filePath;
		}
		return $included;
	}