fadeTimer = new Array();
fadeOpacity = new Array();
fadeInterval = 50; //time between steps in millisec
fadeIncrement = 5; //% opacity change at each step, must be integer {1-100}
//total animation time = fadeInterval*ceil(100/fadeIncrement)

function fade(id,dir,fadeInterval,fadeIncrement) {
	//id is id of element to fade
	//dir is 1 for in, -1 for out
	//interval is time between updates
	//increment is amount of change each update
	obj=document.getElementById(id);
	
	if ((fadeTimer[id])||(dir==1&&obj.style.display=='none')||(dir==-1&&obj.style.display=='block')) {
		if (fadeTimer[id]) {
			fadeTimer[id]=window.clearInterval(fadeTimer[id]);
		}
		else {
			if (dir==1) {
				fadeOpacity[id]=fadeIncrement;
			}
			else {
				fadeOpacity[id]=100-fadeIncrement;
			}
		}
		
		obj.style.opacity = fadeOpacity[id]/100;
		obj.style.filter = 'alpha(opacity='+fadeOpacity[id]+')';
		obj.style.display='block';
		fadeTimer[id]=self.setInterval('fadeUpdate("'+id+'",'+dir+','+fadeIncrement+');',fadeInterval);
	}
}

function fadeUpdate(id,dir,fadeIncrement) {
	//id is id of element to fade
	//dir is 1 for in, -1 for out
	//increment is amount of change each update
	obj=document.getElementById(id);
	
	if (dir==1&&fadeOpacity[id]+fadeIncrement>=100) {
		obj.style.opacity = 1;
		obj.style.filter = 'alpha(opacity=100)';
		fadeTimer[id]=window.clearInterval(fadeTimer[id]);
		delete(fadeTimer[id]);
		delete(fadeOpacity[id]);
	}
	else if (dir==-1&&fadeOpacity[id]-fadeIncrement<=0) {
		obj.style.display = 'none';
		obj.style.opacity = 1;
		obj.style.filter = 'alpha(opacity=100)';
		fadeTimer[id]=window.clearInterval(fadeTimer[id]);
		delete(fadeTimer[id]);
		delete(fadeOpacity[id]);
	}
	else {
		fadeOpacity[id]=fadeOpacity[id]+(fadeIncrement*dir);
		obj.style.opacity = fadeOpacity[id]/100;
		obj.style.filter = 'alpha(opacity='+fadeOpacity[id]+')';
	}
}