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++;
        }
        //if (opacEnd == 0) { setTimeout("FadeOutTrigger('"+id+"')",((timer-1) * speed));; }
        //if (opacEnd == 0) { FadeOutTrigger(id); }
    } else if(opacStart < opacEnd) {
        //if (opacStart == 0) { FadeInTrigger(id); }
        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;
    //var object = window.style;
    object.opacity = (opacity / 100);
    object.MozOpacity = (opacity / 100);
    object.KhtmlOpacity = (opacity / 100);
    object.filter = "alpha(opacity=" + opacity + ")";
}