/**
     * get or set the smarty object instance
     *
     * @param string $value the value being tested
     */
    function _smarty_assign($vars = array()) {

        $_smarty_obj =& SmartyValidate::_object_instance('Smarty', $_dummy);

        if(!is_object($_smarty_obj)) {
            trigger_error("SmartyValidate: [assign] no valid smarty object found, call connect() first.");
            return false;
        }

        if(!empty($vars)) {
            $_smarty_obj->assign($vars);
        }
        foreach($_SESSION['SmartyValidate'] as $_key => $_val) {
            $_info[$_key]['is_error'] = isset($_SESSION['SmartyValidate'][$_key]['is_error']) ? $_SESSION['SmartyValidate'][$_key]['is_error'] : null;
        }
        $_smarty_obj->assign('validate', $_info);

    }