var TimeToFade;
var items = new Array;
var itemCount = 0;
var currentItem;
var lastItem = -1; 

function activateItem(item) {
  if (lastItem != item) {
    fade(items[lastItem], 'fast');
    fade(items[item], 'fast');
    lastItem = item;
  }
}

function addItem(id) {
  itemCount++;
  items[itemCount] = id;
}

function fade(eid, mode)
{
  var element = document.getElementById(eid);
  if(element == null)
    return;
   
  if (mode == 'slow') {
    TimeToFade = 1500.0;
  } else {
    TimeToFade = 600;
  }

  if(element.FadeState == null)
  {
    if(element.style.opacity == null 
        || element.style.opacity == '' 
        || element.style.opacity == '1')
    {
      element.FadeState = 2;
    }
    else
    {
      element.FadeState = -2;
    }
  }
    
  if(element.FadeState == 1 || element.FadeState == -1)
  {
    element.FadeState = element.FadeState == 1 ? -1 : 1;
    element.FadeTimeLeft = TimeToFade - element.FadeTimeLeft;
  }
  else
  {
    element.FadeState = element.FadeState == 2 ? -1 : 1;
    element.FadeTimeLeft = TimeToFade;
    setTimeout("animateFade(" + new Date().getTime() + ",'" + eid + "')", 33);
  }  
}
// ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

function animateFade(lastTick, eid)
{  
  var curTick = new Date().getTime();
  var elapsedTicks = curTick - lastTick;
  
  var element = document.getElementById(eid);
  element.style.display = 'inline'; 
  if(element.FadeTimeLeft <= elapsedTicks)
  {
    element.style.opacity = element.FadeState == 1 ? '1' : '0';
    element.style.filter = 'alpha(opacity = ' 
        + (element.FadeState == 1 ? '100' : '0') + ')';
    element.FadeState = element.FadeState == 1 ? 2 : -2;
    if (element.FadeState == -2) { element.style.display = 'none'; }
    return;

  }
 
  element.FadeTimeLeft -= elapsedTicks;
  var newOpVal = element.FadeTimeLeft/TimeToFade;
  if(element.FadeState == 1)
    newOpVal = 1 - newOpVal;

  element.style.opacity = newOpVal;
  element.style.filter = 'alpha(opacity = ' + (newOpVal*100) + ')';
  
  setTimeout("animateFade(" + curTick + ",'" + eid + "')", 33);
}
// ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++