function opacity(id, opacStart, opacEnd, millisec) {
	//speed for each frame
	var speed = Math.round(millisec / 100);
	var timer = 0;

	//determine the direction for the blending, if start and end are the same nothing happens
	if(opacStart > opacEnd) {
		for(i = opacStart; i >= opacEnd; i--) {
			setTimeout("changeOpac(" + i + ",'" + id + "')",(timer * speed));
			timer++;
		}
	} else if(opacStart < opacEnd) {
		for(i = opacStart; i <= opacEnd; i++)
			{
			setTimeout("changeOpac(" + i + ",'" + id + "')",(timer * speed));
			timer++;
		}
	}
}

//change the opacity for different browsers
function changeOpac(opacity, id) {
	var object = document.getElementById(id).style; 
	object.opacity = (opacity / 100);
	object.MozOpacity = (opacity / 100);
	object.KhtmlOpacity = (opacity / 100);
	object.filter = "alpha(opacity=" + opacity + ")";
}

function shiftOpacity(id, millisec) {
	//if an element is invisible, make it visible, else make it ivisible
	if(document.getElementById(id).style.opacity == 0) {
		opacity(id, 0, 100, millisec);
	} else {
		opacity(id, 100, 0, millisec);
	}
}

function currentOpac(id, opacEnd, millisec) {
	//standard opacity is 100
	var currentOpac = 100;
	
	//if the element has an opacity set, get it
	if(document.getElementById(id).style.opacity < 100) {
		currentOpac = document.getElementById(id).style.opacity * 100;
	}

	//call for the function that changes the opacity
	opacity(id, currentOpac, opacEnd, millisec)
}	
				
function showPanel(id) {
	var panels = getElementsByClassName('panel');
	for(var i = 0; i < panels.length; i++) {
		if(panels[i].id != id) 
			fadePanel(panels[i].id, true);
	}
	fadePanel(id, false);
}
function fadePanel(id, out) {
	if(out) {
		changeOpac(100, id);
		opacity(id, 100, 0, 500);
		document.getElementById(id).style.display = 'none';
	}
	else {
		document.getElementById(id).style.display = 'block';

		changeOpac(0, id);
		opacity(id, 0, 100, 500);
	}
}
function getElementsByClassName(className, tag, elm){
	var testClass = new RegExp("(^|\\s)" + className + "(\\s|$)");
	var tag = tag || "*";
	var elm = elm || document;
	var elements = (tag == "*" && elm.all)? elm.all : elm.getElementsByTagName(tag);
	var returnElements = [];
	var current;
	var length = elements.length;
	for(var i=0; i<length; i++){
		current = elements[i];
		if(testClass.test(current.className)){
			returnElements.push(current);
		}
	}
	return returnElements;
}