(function($) {
	$.fn.fade = function(options) {
		return this.each(function() { 
			$.fade(this, options);
		});
	};

	$.fade = function(container, options) {
		var settings = {
			'speed':            'normal',				// speed: Fading-/Sliding-Speed in milliseconds or keywords (slow, normal or fast) (Default: 'normal')
			'type':             'sequence',			// type: Type of slideshow: 'sequence', 'random' or 'random_start' (Default: 'sequence')
			'timeout':          2000,						// timeout: Time between the fades in milliseconds (Default: '2000')
      'containerheight':  'auto',					// containerheight: Height of the containing element in any css-height-value (Default: 'auto')
      'children':         null						// children: optional children selector (Default: null)
    };

		if (options)
			$.extend(settings, options);
		if (settings.children == null)
        var elements = $(container).children();
    else
        var elements = $(container).children(settings.children);

		if (elements.length > 1) {
			$(container).css('height', settings.containerheight);
			for (var i = 0; i < elements.length; i++) {
				$(elements[i]).css('z-index', String(i+1)).css('position', 'absolute').hide();
			};
			if (settings.type == "sequence") {
				setTimeout(function() {
					$.fade.next(elements, settings, 1, 0);
				}, settings.timeout);
				$(elements[0]).show();
			}
			else if (settings.type == "random") {
				var last = Math.floor ( Math.random () * ( elements.length ) );
				setTimeout(function() {
					do { 
							current = Math.floor ( Math.random ( ) * ( elements.length ) );
						} while (last == current );             
					$.fade.next(elements, settings, current, last);
				}, settings.timeout);
				$(elements[last]).show();
			}
			else if ( settings.type == 'random_start' ) {
				settings.type = 'sequence';
				var current = Math.floor ( Math.random () * ( elements.length ) );
				setTimeout(function(){
					$.fade.next(elements, settings, (current + 1) %  elements.length, current);
				}, settings.timeout);
				$(elements[current]).show();
			}
			else {
				alert('Fade-Type must either be \'sequence\', \'random\' or \'random_start\'');
			}
		}
	};

	$.fade.next = function(elements, settings, current, last) {
		$(elements[last]).fadeOut(settings.speed);
		$(elements[current]).fadeIn(settings.speed, function() {
			removeFilter($(this)[0]);
		});

		if (settings.type == "sequence") {
			if ((current + 1) < elements.length) {
				current = current + 1;
				last = current - 1;
			}
			else {
				current = 0;
				last = elements.length - 1;
			}
		}
		else if (settings.type == "random") {
			last = current;
			while (current == last)
				current = Math.floor(Math.random() * elements.length);
		} 
		else
			alert('Fade-Type must either be \'sequence\', \'random\' or \'random_start\'');

		setTimeout((function() {
			$.fade.next(elements, settings, current, last);
			}), settings.timeout);
  };

})(jQuery);

// **** remove Opacity-Filter in ie ****
function removeFilter(element) {
	if(element.style.removeAttribute){
		element.style.removeAttribute('filter');
	}
}