function createAjaxObj(){
    var httprequest=false
    if (window.XMLHttpRequest){ // if Mozilla, Safari etc
        httprequest = new XMLHttpRequest()
        if (httprequest.overrideMimeType)
            httprequest.overrideMimeType('text/xml')
    }
    else if (window.ActiveXObject){ // if IE
        try {
            httprequest = new ActiveXObject("Msxml2.XMLHTTP");
        }
        catch (e){
            try{
                httprequest = new ActiveXObject("Microsoft.XMLHTTP");
            }
            catch (e){}
        }
    }
    return httprequest
}

// -------------------------------------------------------------------
// Main Ajax Ticker Object function
// ajax_ticker(xmlfile, divId, divClass, delay, optionalfadeornot)
// -------------------------------------------------------------------

function ajax_ticker(xmlfile, divId, divClass, delay, fadeornot){
    this.xmlfile=xmlfile //Variable pointing to the local ticker xml file (txt)
    this.tickerid=divId //ID of ticker div to display information
    this.delay=delay //Delay between msg change, in miliseconds.
    this.mouseoverBol=0 //Boolean to indicate whether mouse is currently over ticker (and pause it if it is)
    this.pointer=0
    this.opacitystring=(typeof fadeornot!="undefined")? "width: 100%; filter:progid:DXImageTransform.Microsoft.alpha(opacity=100); -moz-opacity: 1" : ""
    if (this.opacitystring!="") this.delay+=500 //add 1/2 sec to account for fade effect, if enabled
    this.opacitysetting=0.2 //Opacity value when reset. Internal use.
    this.messages=[] //Arrays to hold each message of ticker
    this.ajaxobj=createAjaxObj()
    document.write('<div id="'+divId+'" class="'+divClass+'"><div style="'+this.opacitystring+'">Initializing ticker...</div></div>')
    this.getXMLfile()
}

// -------------------------------------------------------------------
// getXMLfile()- Use Ajax to fetch xml file (txt)
// -------------------------------------------------------------------

ajax_ticker.prototype.getXMLfile=function(){
    if (this.ajaxobj){
        var instanceOfTicker=this
        var url=this.xmlfile+"?bustcache="+new Date().getTime()
        this.ajaxobj.onreadystatechange=function(){
            instanceOfTicker.initialize()
            }
        this.ajaxobj.open('GET', url, true)
        this.ajaxobj.send(null)
    }
}

// -------------------------------------------------------------------
// initialize()- Initialize ticker method.
// -Gets contents of xml file and parse it using JavaScript DOM methods 
// -------------------------------------------------------------------

ajax_ticker.prototype.initialize=function(){ 
    if (this.ajaxobj.readyState == 4){ //if request of file completed
        if (this.ajaxobj.status==200 || window.location.href.indexOf("http")==-1){ //if request was successful
            this.contentdiv=document.getElementById(this.tickerid).firstChild //div of inner content that holds the messages
            var xmldata=this.ajaxobj.responseText
            this.contentdiv.style.display="none"
            this.contentdiv.innerHTML=xmldata
            if (this.contentdiv.getElementsByTagName("div").length==0){ //if no messages were found
                this.contentdiv.innerHTML="<b>Error</b> fetching remote ticker file!"
                return
            }
            var instanceOfTicker=this
            document.getElementById(this.tickerid).onmouseover=function(){
                instanceOfTicker.mouseoverBol=1
                }
            document.getElementById(this.tickerid).onmouseout=function(){
                instanceOfTicker.mouseoverBol=0
                }
            if (window.attachEvent) //Clean up loose references in IE
                window.attachEvent("onunload", function(){
                    instanceOfTicker.contentdiv=instanceOfTicker.ajaxobj=null
                    })
            //Cycle through XML object and store each message inside array
            for (var i=0; i<this.contentdiv.getElementsByTagName("div").length; i++){
                if (this.contentdiv.getElementsByTagName("div")[i].className=="ticker")
                    this.messages[this.messages.length]=this.contentdiv.getElementsByTagName("div")[i].innerHTML
            }
            this.contentdiv.innerHTML=""
            this.contentdiv.style.display="block"
            this.rotatemsg()
        }
    }
}

// -------------------------------------------------------------------
// rotatemsg()- Rotate through ticker messages and displays them
// -------------------------------------------------------------------

ajax_ticker.prototype.rotatemsg=function(){
    var instanceOfTicker=this
    if (this.mouseoverBol==1) //if mouse is currently over ticker, do nothing (pause it)
        setTimeout(function(){
            instanceOfTicker.rotatemsg()
            }, 100)
    else{ //else, construct item, show and rotate it!
        this.fadetransition("reset") //FADE EFFECT- RESET OPACITY
        this.contentdiv.innerHTML=this.messages[this.pointer]
        this.fadetimer1=setInterval(function(){
            instanceOfTicker.fadetransition('up', 'fadetimer1')
            }, 100) //FADE EFFECT- PLAY IT
        this.pointer=(this.pointer<this.messages.length-1)? this.pointer+1 : 0
        setTimeout(function(){
            instanceOfTicker.rotatemsg()
            }, this.delay) //update container periodically
    }
}

// -------------------------------------------------------------------
// fadetransition()- cross browser fade method for IE5.5+ and Mozilla/Firefox
// -------------------------------------------------------------------

ajax_ticker.prototype.fadetransition=function(fadetype, timerid){
    var contentdiv=this.contentdiv
    if (fadetype=="reset")
        this.opacitysetting=0.2
    if (contentdiv.filters && contentdiv.filters[0]){
        if (typeof contentdiv.filters[0].opacity=="number") //IE6+
            contentdiv.filters[0].opacity=this.opacitysetting*100
        else //IE 5.5
            contentdiv.style.filter="alpha(opacity="+this.opacitysetting*100+")"
    }
    else if (typeof contentdiv.style.MozOpacity!="undefined" && this.opacitystring!=""){
        contentdiv.style.MozOpacity=this.opacitysetting
    }
    else
        this.opacitysetting=1
    if (fadetype=="up")
        this.opacitysetting+=0.1
    if (fadetype=="up" && this.opacitysetting>=1)
        clearInterval(this[timerid])
}