function action_flash(id,howlong) {

if (typeof howlong=='undefined') var howlong=2000;

var howlong=parseInt(howlong);
if (howlong<2000) howlong=2000;
action_show(id);
var verdi=setTimeout('action_hide("' + id + '")',howlong);
}


function action_show(id) {

  var elem = fetch_Element(id);
  if( is_ns4) elem.visibility = "show";

          else  {
//          alert('Decloaking  :' + elem + '|' + id + ' ' + my_browser);
          elem.style.visibility = "visible" }
}
function action_hide(id) {
  var elem = fetch_Element(id);
  if( is_ns4 ) elem.visibility = "hide";
	else {
         elem.style.visibility = "hidden";
         }
}

function action_move( id,x,y ) {
  var elem = fetch_Element(id);
  if( is_ns4 ) elem.moveTo(x,y );
         else {
         elem.style.left = x;
         elem.style.top = y; }
}
function action_trackMouseEvent( evt ) {

  if( my_browser>=20 ) {
    mouse_at_x = evt.pageX;
    mouse_at_y= evt.pageY;
  } else {
    mouse_at_x = event.clientX;
    mouse_at_y = event.clientY;
    if( document.body.scrollLeft )
      mouse_at_x += document.body.scrollLeft;
    if( document.body.scrollTop  )
      mouse_at_y += document.body.scrollTop;
  }

  return false;
}

function is_visual(id) {
  var elem = fetch_Element(id);
  if( is_ns4 ) {
     var vis_status = elem.visibility;
     }
  else {
    var vis_status = elem.style.visibility;
  }

return vis_status

}

function toggle_visual(id) {

vis_status=is_visual(id);
vis_status=vis_status.substring(0,2)
//alert(vis_status);
switch (vis_status) {
  case "vi" :
    action_hide(id);
    break;
    break;
  case "hi" :
    action_show(id);
    break;
    break;
}
}

function trace_mouse(id) {

action_trackMouseEvent;
var elem = fetch_Element(id);
//alert('Moving to ' + mouse_at_x + '/' + mouse_at_y);
action_move(id,mouse_at_x+10,mouse_at_y+15);
window.setTimeout('trace_mouse()',10);

}

function follow_mouse(id) {

action_trackMouseEvent;
var elem = fetch_Element(id);
//alert('Moving ' + elem + ' to ' + mouse_at_x + '/' + mouse_at_y);
action_move(id,mouse_at_x-3,mouse_at_y-3);
window.setTimeout("follow_mouse(" + "'" + id + "')",100);

}

function hide_all() {
var items_tohide = new Array();
var items_tohide=item_ids.split(',');

for (hii=0;hii<items_tohide.length;hii++) {
//alert(items_tohide[hii]);
   action_hide(items_tohide[hii]);
    }


}