var initial_ticker_height = 280; //height of news ticker in px

//var ticker_height = 1;
//var ticker_offset = initial_ticker_height - 1;
var ticker_height = initial_ticker_height;
var ticker_offset = 0;
var ticker_active = 1;

function ticker_start()
{
  var tickerObj;
  if (!document.getElementById)
  {
    return;
  }
  if (tickerObj = document.getElementById("ticker"))
  {
    tickerObj.onmouseover = function () {ticker_active = 0}
    tickerObj.onmouseout = function () {ticker_active = 1}

    if (!tickerObj.innerHTML)
    {
    }
    else
    {
      var extra_text = tickerObj.innerHTML;
      if (extra_text != "\n          <p>There are no announcements available at present.</p><p>Please try again later.</p>\n        ")
      {
        extra_text = extra_text + extra_text + extra_text + extra_text + extra_text + extra_text;
        tickerObj.innerHTML = extra_text;
      }
    }

    ticker_tick();
  }
  else
  {
    setTimeout("ticker_start()",10);
  }
}

function ticker_tick()
{
  if (ticker_active == 1)
  {
    var tickerObj;
    if (!document.getElementById)
    {
      return;
    }
    if (!(tickerObj = document.getElementById("ticker")))
    {
      return;
    }

    ticker_offset--;
    ticker_height++;
/*
    if (ticker_offset + initial_ticker_height <= 0)
    {
      ticker_offset = initial_ticker_height - 1;
      ticker_height = 1;
    }
*/
    tickerObj.style.marginTop = (ticker_offset + 'px');
    tickerObj.style.height = (ticker_height + 'px');
  }
  setTimeout("ticker_tick()",80);
}


/*
http://simonwillison.net/2004/May/26/addLoadEvent/
*/
function addLoadEvent(func)
{
  var oldonload = window.onload;
  if (typeof window.onload != 'function')
  {
    window.onload = func;
  }
  else
  {
    window.onload = function()
    {
      if (oldonload)
      {
        oldonload();
      }
      func();
    }
  }
}

addLoadEvent(ticker_start);