var id = "";
var opacStart = 200;
var opacEnd = 0;
var millisec = 1600;

function timeFade(id){
    setTimeout('opacity("' + id + '")',millisec);
}

function opacity(id) {
    //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 + ")";
    if(opacity == 0){
        object.display = "none";
    }
}