var theCharacterTimeout = 50;
var theStoryTimeout     = 5000;
var theWidgetOne        = "_";
var theWidgetTwo        = "-";
var theWidgetNone       = "";
var theLeadString       = "";

var theSummaries = new Array();
var theSiteLinks = new Array();
var theItemCount = 2;
theSummaries[0] = "08/05/2008 - SSPA Tennis Day  18 May - there are still a few spaces available. Further details from Reception";
theSiteLinks[0] = "somerhill-news-page.php?id=85";
theSummaries[1] = "26/04/2008 - 2008 Somerhill Disco - Photos online!";
theSiteLinks[1] = "somerhill-news-page.php?id=84";

// Ticker startup
function startTicker()
{
  document.getElementById('ticker').innerHTML = '<span>Latest News:&nbsp;<a title="News Ticker" id="tickerAnchor" href="#"></a></span>';
	// Define run time values
	theCurrentStory     = -1;
	theCurrentLength    = 0;
	theAnchorObject     = document.getElementById("tickerAnchor");
	runTheTicker();
}
// Ticker main run loop
function runTheTicker()
{
	var myTimeout;
	// Go for the next story data block
	if(theCurrentLength == 0)
	{
		theCurrentStory++;
		theCurrentStory      = theCurrentStory % theItemCount;
		theStorySummary      = theSummaries[theCurrentStory].replace(/&quot;/g,'"');
		theTargetLink        = theSiteLinks[theCurrentStory];
		theAnchorObject.href = theTargetLink;
		thePrefix 	     = "<span class=\"tickls\">" + theLeadString + "</span>";
	}
	// Stuff the current ticker text into the anchor
	theAnchorObject.innerHTML = thePrefix +
	theStorySummary.substring(0,theCurrentLength) + whatWidget();
	// Modify the length for the substring and define the timer
	if(theCurrentLength != theStorySummary.length)
	{
		theCurrentLength++;
		myTimeout = theCharacterTimeout;
	}
	else
	{
		theCurrentLength = 0;
		myTimeout = theStoryTimeout;
	}
	// Call up the next cycle of the ticker
	setTimeout("runTheTicker()", myTimeout);
}
// Widget generator
function whatWidget()
{
	if(theCurrentLength == theStorySummary.length)
	{
		return theWidgetNone;
	}

	if((theCurrentLength % 2) == 1)
	{
		return theWidgetOne;
	}
	else
	{
		return theWidgetTwo;
	}
}