//---------------------------------- functions to handle html-code and -text --//




    function htmlAddList(type, amount) {
        code = "";
        if(amount < 0) amount = amount * -1;
        for(i = 1; i <= amount; i++) {
            code = code + "<!--" + i + "--><li></li>\n";
        }
        code = "\n<ol type='" + type + "'>\n" + code + "</ol>\n";
        return code;
    }




//----------------------------------------------- function to hide elements --//


    function toggle(layer, todo) { 
        if (document.getElementById(layer)) {
            if(todo == 1) {
                document.getElementById(layer).style.visibility = "visible";
            } else if(todo == 0) {
                document.getElementById(layer).style.visibility = "hidden";
            }
        }
    }


//--------------------------------- functions for changing class of elements --//


    function setClass(obj, newClass) {
        obj.className = newClass;
    }

    function setClassById(id, newClass) {
    	document.getElementById(id).className = newClass;
    }

//----------------------------------------- functions for blinking elements --//
    var blinkInterval = 0;
    var blinkCounter  = 0;
    var tagType	      = "";

    function blinker(interval, counter) {
        blinkerByTag(interval, counter, "span");
    }

    function blinkerByTag(interval, counter, tag) {
        blinkInterval = interval;
        blinkCounter  = counter * 2;
        tagType       = tag;
        doBlinker();
    }
    

    function doBlinker() {
    	if(tagType && tagType != "") {
		blinkCounter = blinkCounter - 1;
		for(k=0; k < document.getElementsByTagName(tagType).length; k++) {
		    if(document.getElementsByTagName(tagType)[k].style.visibility != "hidden") {
			if(document.getElementsByTagName(tagType)[k].className.substr(0, 5) == "blink")
			document.getElementsByTagName(tagType)[k].style.visibility = "hidden";
		    } else {
			if(document.getElementsByTagName(tagType)[k].className.substr(0, 5) == "blink") {
			    document.getElementsByTagName(tagType)[k].style.visibility = "visible";
			}
		    }
		}
		var go = window.setTimeout("doBlinker()", blinkInterval);
		if(blinkCounter == 0) {
		    window.clearTimeout(go);
		    for(k=0; k < document.getElementsByTagName(tagType).length; k++) {
			document.getElementsByTagName(tagType)[k].style.visibility = "visible";
		    }
		}
    	}

    }
    
    
function blinkId(objId, interval, counter) {
    if(counter > 0) {
    	counter = (counter * 2 * -1);
    } 
    counter = counter + 1;
    if(document.getElementById(objId).style.visibility != "hidden") {
	document.getElementById(objId).style.visibility = "hidden";
    } else {
	document.getElementById(objId).style.visibility = "visible";
    }
    var go = window.setTimeout("blinkId('" + objId + "'," + interval + "," + counter + ")", interval);
    if(counter == 0) {
        window.clearTimeout(go);
        document.getElementById(objId).style.visibility = "visible";
    }
}