var _countDowncontainer=0;
var _currentSeconds=0;

function ActivateCountDown(strContainerID, initialValue) {
	_countDowncontainer = document.getElementById(strContainerID);
	
	if (!_countDowncontainer) {
		alert("count down error: container does not exist: "+strContainerID+
			"\nmake sure html element with this ID exists");
		return;
	}
	
	SetCountdownText(initialValue);
	window.setTimeout("CountDownTick()", 1000);
}

function CountDownTick() {
	if (_currentSeconds <= 10) {
		//alert("your time has expired!");
		//_currentSeconds=299;
		_countDowncontainer.innerHTML = "Update pending...";
		return;
	}
	
	SetCountdownText(_currentSeconds-1);
	window.setTimeout("CountDownTick()", 1000);
}

function SetCountdownText(seconds) {
	//store:
	_currentSeconds = seconds;
	
	//get minutes:
	var minutes=parseInt(seconds/60);
	
	//shrink:
	seconds = (seconds%60);
	
	//get hours:
	var hours=parseInt(minutes/60);
	
	//shrink:
	minutes = (minutes%60);
	
	//build text:
	var ticker;
	if((seconds%2) == 0) ticker="<font color='green'>.</font>";
	else ticker="<font color='yellow'>.</font>";
	var strText = "Status update in: " + "<b>" +  AddZero(minutes) +  ticker + AddZero(seconds) + "</b>";
	
	//apply:
	_countDowncontainer.innerHTML = strText;
}

function AddZero(num) {
	return ((num >= 0)&&(num < 10))?"0"+num:num+"";
}