var itemNum = 0;  //initialize a variable to hold the current slide index
	
	window.addEvent('domready', function() {
		
		/* ----------Config Vars----------- */
			
		var slideTimer = 5000;  //time between slides (1 second = 1000), a.k.a. the interval duration
		var timer;
		var transitionTime = 1250; //transition time (1 second = 1000)
		var items = $$('.slide_item');  //Get array of elements for sliding
		var buttons = $$('.refPages a');  //Get array of elements for sliding
		
		/* --------end config vars-------- */
		
		//Setup positions
		items.each(function(element, index) {
			
			//since the viewer obviously has javascript on, we can remove the 'first_item' class
			if(index == 0){
				element.removeClass('first_item');
				element.setStyle('left', "0");
			}
			else{
				element.setStyle('left', "684");
				element.setStyle('opacity', "0");
			}
		
		});
		//end setup
		
		//Slider Stuff
		var slideFunction = new function() {
			var numItems = items.length;  //get number of slider items
			
			var slideIt = function(){ 
			
				//get item to slide out
				var curItem = items[itemNum];
				
				//change index
				if(itemNum < (numItems - 1)){
					itemNum++; 
				}
				else{
					itemNum = 0;
				}
				
				//now get item to slide in using new index
				var newItem = items[itemNum];
				
				//set up our animation stylings for out and in motions (note:  Fx.Styles does NOT exist in moo 1.2, so we must use Fx.Morph or Fx.Tween)
				var item_in = new Fx.Morph(newItem, {
						 duration: transitionTime, 
						 transition: Fx.Transitions.Quad.easeInOut, 
						 wait:false
				});
				buttons.each(function(r){r.removeClass("act")})
				buttons[items.indexOf(newItem)].addClass("act");
				
				var item_out = new Fx.Morph(curItem, {
						 duration: transitionTime, 
						 transition: Fx.Transitions.Quad.easeInOut, 
						 wait:false
				});
				
				//we will set a beginning value here
				//this is so that it gives the illusion of continuous motion from one direction, even after the first cycle of items
				item_in.start({
				'left': [684, 0],
				'opacity':[0,1]
				});
				
				//no beginning values needed, since we always want to push the old item out to the left
				item_out.start({
				'left': '-684',
				'opacity':[1]
				});
				
			};
			
			//call the function, periodically  (note: the interval period is defined at the top of this file)
			timer = slideIt.periodical(slideTimer, this); 
		}
		
		buttons.addEvent("click",function(e) {
			$clear(timer);
			buttons.each(function(r){r.removeClass("act")})
			buttons[buttons.indexOf(this)].addClass("act");
	
			curItem = items[itemNum];
			itemNum = buttons.indexOf(this);
			newItem = items[itemNum];
			if(curItem==newItem) {
				return;
			}
			//set up our animation stylings for out and in motions (note:  Fx.Styles does NOT exist in moo 1.2, so we must use Fx.Morph or Fx.Tween)
			var item_in = new Fx.Morph(newItem, {
					 duration: transitionTime, 
					 transition: Fx.Transitions.Quad.easeInOut, 
					 wait:false
			});
			
			var item_out = new Fx.Morph(curItem, {
					 duration: transitionTime, 
					 transition: Fx.Transitions.Quad.easeInOut, 
					 wait:false
			});
			
			//we will set a beginning value here
			//this is so that it gives the illusion of continuous motion from one direction, even after the first cycle of items
			item_in.start({
				'left': [684, 0],
				'opacity':[0,1]
			});
			
			//no beginning values needed, since we always want to push the old item out to the left
			item_out.start({
				'left': '-684',
				'opacity':[1]
			});
		});
		
		
		
	});