var TimeToFade = 1000.0;

function fade(eid)
{
   var element = document.getElementById(eid);
   if(element == null)
     return;
    
   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);
  
   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;
     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);
}