var fadeSteps = 20;
var fadeDelay = 40;
var loopPrepend = true;
var fadeStep = 0;
var fadeElem;
var fadeUp = true;
function fadeDiv(divname) {
  fadeElem = document.getElementById(divname);
  setOpacity(fadeElem, 0);
  fadeStep = 20;
  fadeStep = 0;
  setTimeout('fader()', fadeDelay);
}
function fader() {
  (fadeUp) ? fadeIn() : fadeOut() ;
}
function fadeIn() {
  if(fadeStep > fadeSteps){
    fadeUp = false;
    window.setTimeout("fader()", fadeDelay);
    return;
  }
  setOpacity(fadeElem, (fadeStep/fadeSteps));
  fadeStep++;
  window.setTimeout("fadeIn()", fadeDelay);
}
function fadeOut() {
  if(fadeStep == 0){
    fadeUp = true;
    setOpacity(fadeElem, 0);
    window.setTimeout("fader()", fadeDelay);
    return;
  }
  setOpacity(fadeElem, (fadeStep/fadeSteps));
  fadeStep--;
  window.setTimeout("fadeOut()", fadeDelay);
}
function setOpacity( el, opacity){
  if(el.style.opacity != undefined)
    el.style.opacity = opacity;
  else if( el.style.MozOpacity != undefined)
    el.style.MozOpacity = opacity;
  else if ( el.style.filter != undefined)
    el.style.filter="alpha(opacity=" + Math.round(opacity * 100) + ")";
}