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 request of file completed
	if (this.ajaxobj.readyState == 4) {
		//if request was successful
		if (this.ajaxobj.status == 200 || window.location.href.indexOf("http") == - 1) {
			//div of inner content that holds the messages
			this.contentdiv = document.getElementById(this.tickerid).firstChild;
			var xmldata = this.ajaxobj.responseText;
			this.contentdiv.style.display = "none";
			this.contentdiv.innerHTML = xmldata;
			if (this.contentdiv.getElementsByTagName("div").length == 0) {
				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 == "message")
				{
					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]);
}