//	reference container
	var instances = new Array();
	
	
	/**
	*	Object LoopingImages
	*/
	function LoopingImages() {
		this.instanceIndex 		= null;
		this.loopPauseFade 		= 7500;		//	milisecs for pause in transition
		this.loopPauseChange 	= 5000;		//	milisecs for normal image change
		this.startDelayFade 	= 100;		//	milisecs initial delay for fading
		this.startDelayChange 	= 3000;		//	milisecs initial delay for changing
		
		//	definition of counters for each picture
		this.counters = new Array();
		this.counters["img1"] 		= 0;
		this.counters["img2"] 	= 0;
		this.counters["img3"] = 0;
		this.counters["img4"] 	= 0;
		
		this.intervals = new Array();
		this.intervals["img1"] 	 = null;
		this.intervals["img2"]  = null;
		this.intervals["img3"] = null;
		this.intervals["img4"] 	 = null;
		
		//	contains all pictureIDs
		this.images = new Array();
					
		//	definition of the pictures
		this.images["img1"] = new Array(
			"images/loopA1.jpg",	"images/loopA2.jpg",
			"images/loopA3.jpg",	"images/loopA4.jpg",
			"images/loopA5.jpg"				
				
		);
		
		this.images["img2"] = new Array(
			"images/loopB1.jpg",	"images/loopB2.jpg",
			"images/loopB3.jpg",	"images/loopB4.jpg",
			"images/loopB5.jpg"				

		);
				
		this.images["img3"] = new Array(
			"images/loopC1.jpg",	"images/loopC2.jpg",
			"images/loopC3.jpg",	"images/loopC4.jpg",
			"images/loopC5.jpg"								
		);
		
		this.images["img4"] = new Array(
			"images/loopD1.jpg",	"images/loopD2.jpg",
			"images/loopD3.jpg",	"images/loopD4.jpg",
			"images/loopD5.jpg"								
		);

		
		//	sets/resets counter variable according to each array
		this.advanceCounter = function(counter, arr) {
			if (++this.counters[counter] == arr.length) {
				this.counters[counter] = 0;
			}
			//alert(this.counters[counter]);
		}
		
		//	preloads all defined images into the browsers cache
		this.preload = function () {
			for (imageArr in this.images) {
				for (var i = 0; i < imageArr.length; i++) {
					var preloadedImage = new Image();
					preloadedImage.src = imageArr[i];
				}
			}
		}
		
		//	nifty fading image filter for IE
		this.fadeImage = function(elm) {
			//alert(elm + ", " + this.counters[elm]);
			this.advanceCounter(elm, this.images[elm]);
		
			document.all[elm].filters.blendTrans.Apply();
  			document.all[elm].src =  this.images[elm][this.counters[elm]];
  			document.all[elm].filters.blendTrans.Play();
		}
		
		//	simply image change for non-ie users
		this.changeImage = function(elm) {
			this.advanceCounter(elm, this.images[elm]);
			document.images[elm].src = this.images[elm][this.counters[elm]];
		}
		
		//	deals with the image checks
		this.managerFade = function (elm) {
			if (document.all && typeof ActiveXObject != "undefined") {
				this.fadeImage(elm);
				this.intervals[elm] = window.setInterval(
					"instances[" + this.instanceIndex + "].fadeImage('" + elm + "');", 
					this.loopPauseFade
				);
			} 
		}
		
		//	deals with changing images and controls the interval	
		this.managerChange = function(elm) {
			if (document.images) {
				this.changeImage(elm);
				this.intervals[elm] = window.setInterval(
					"instances[" + this.instanceIndex + "].changeImage('" + elm + "');", 
					this.loopPauseChange
				);
			}
		}
		
		//	starup function
		this.init = function () {
			this.preload();								//	preload images
			window.instances[instances.length] = this;	//	add object reference
			this.instanceIndex = (instances.length -1);	//	store the index
			
			if (document.all && typeof ActiveXObject != "undefined") {
				//	test run
				var testA = window.setTimeout(
					"instances[" + this.instanceIndex + "].managerFade('img1');", 
					this.startDelayFade
				);
				
				var testB = window.setTimeout(
					"instances[" + this.instanceIndex + "].managerFade('img2');", 
					this.startDelayFade + 3000
				);
				
				var testC = window.setTimeout(
					"instances[" + this.instanceIndex + "].managerFade('img3');", 
					this.startDelayFade + 6000
				);
				
				var testD = window.setTimeout(
					"instances[" + this.instanceIndex + "].managerFade('img4');", 
					this.startDelayFade + 9000
				);
				
			} else {
				//	test run
				var testA = window.setTimeout(
					"instances[" + this.instanceIndex + "].managerChange('img1');", 
					this.startDelayChange
				);
				
				var testB = window.setTimeout(
					"instances[" + this.instanceIndex + "].managerChange('img2');", 
					this.startDelayChange + 3000
				);
				
				var testC = window.setTimeout(
					"instances[" + this.instanceIndex + "].managerChange('img3');", 
					this.startDelayChange + 6000
				);
				
				var testD = window.setTimeout(
					"instances[" + this.instanceIndex + "].managerChange('img4');", 
					this.startDelayChange + 9000
				);
			}	
		}
	}
	

	//	initialize object on startup
	window.onload = function() {
		var loopy = new LoopingImages();
		loopy.init();
	}