function setOpacity(id, level) {            
    var element = document.getElementById(id); 
    element.style.display = 'inline';           
    element.style.zoom = 1;
    element.style.opacity = level;
    element.style.MozOpacity = level;
    element.style.KhtmlOpacity = level;
    element.style.filter = "alpha(opacity=" + (level * 100) + ");";
}

function fadeIn(id, steps, duration){  
    var fadeInComplete;      
    for (i = 0; i <= 1; i += (1 / steps)) {
      setTimeout("setOpacity('" + id + "', " + i + ")", i * duration); 
      fadeInComplete = i * duration;             
    }      
}

function fadeOut(id, steps, duration) {         
    var fadeOutComplete;       
    for (i = 0; i <= 1; i += (1 / steps)) {
      setTimeout("setOpacity('" + id + "', "  + (1 - i) + ")", i * duration);
      fadeOutComplete = i * duration;
    }      
    //completely hide the displayed message after the fade effect is complete              
    setTimeout("hide('" + id + "')", fadeOutComplete);     
}   

function hide(id){
    document.getElementById(id).style.display = 'none';     
}