var TimeToFade = 250.0;

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);
}