var TimeToFade = 3000.0;

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;

	document.body.removeChild(element);
    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);
}