var openBtn = "/images/newsButton_open.gif";
var solidBtn = "/images/newsButton_solid.gif";
var intervalID;
var showing = 1;
var newsArray = new Array("","news1","news2","news3","news4","news5");
var btnArray = new Array("","newsBtn1","newsBtn2","newsBtn3","newsBtn4","newsBtn5");
var inProgress = false;

function swapNews(next) {
    if (inProgress) return;
    inProgress = true;
    
    if (next == 0) { next = showing + 1; } //if swapNews isnt called from a button
    if (next == 6) { next = 1; }    // if its the last news item

    new Effect.Fade(newsArray[showing], { duration: 0.3});

    setTimeout(function() {
        $(btnArray[showing]).src = openBtn
        $(btnArray[showing]).style.cursor = "pointer"
        $(btnArray[next]).src = solidBtn
        $(btnArray[next]).style.cursor = "default"
        new Effect.Appear(newsArray[next], { duration: 0.3})
        showing = next
        inProgress = false
    }, 300);

    clearInterval(intervalID);
    intervalID = setInterval("swapNews(0)", 4500);
}

Event.observe(window, 'load', function() { // this binds the function() to the event window.onload
    intervalID = setInterval("swapNews(0)", 4500);
    $("newsBtn1").src = solidBtn;
    $("newsBtn2").src = openBtn;
    $("newsBtn2").style.cursor = "pointer";
    $("newsBtn3").src = openBtn;
    $("newsBtn3").style.cursor = "pointer";
    $("newsBtn4").src = openBtn;
    $("newsBtn4").style.cursor = "pointer";
    $("newsBtn5").src = openBtn;
    $("newsBtn5").style.cursor = "pointer";
});