function grayOut(vis, elementID, options) 
{
    // Pass true to gray out screen, false to ungray 
    // options are optional.  This is a JSON object with the following (optional) properties
     // opacity:0-100         
     // Lower number = less grayout higher = more of a blackout   
     // zindex: #             
     // HTML elements with a higher zindex appear on top of the gray out  
     // bgcolor: (#xxxxxx)    
     // Standard RGB Hex color code  
     // grayOut(true, {'zindex':'50', 'bgcolor':'#0000FF', 'opacity':'70'});  
     // Because options is JSON opacity/zindex/bgcolor are all optional and can appear  
     // in any order.  Pass only the properties you need to set.  
     var options = options || {};   
     var zindex = options.zindex || 50;  
     var opacity = options.opacity || 70;  
     var opaque = (opacity / 100);  
     var bgcolor = options.bgcolor || '#ffffff';  
     var dark=document.getElementById('darkenScreenObject');  
     var IE = /*@cc_on!@*/false;
     
     if(elementID == "body")
     {        
        var tbody = document.getElementsByTagName(elementID)[0];        
     }
     else
     {     
        var tbody = document.getElementById(elementID);
     }
     
     if (!dark)
     {
         // The dark layer doesn't exist, it's never been created.  So we'll    
         // create it here and apply some basic styles.    
         // If you are getting errors in IE see: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/927917    
             
         var tnode = document.createElement('div');           
         // Create the layer.        
         tnode.style.position='absolute';                 
         // Position absolutely
         tnode.style.top='0px';                           
         // In the top        
         tnode.style.left='0px';                          
         // Left corner of the page        
         tnode.style.overflow='hidden';                   
         // Try to avoid making scroll bars                    
         tnode.style.display='none';                      
         // Start out Hidden        
         tnode.id='darkenScreenObject';                   
         // Name it so we can find it later          
         tbody.appendChild(tnode);                            
         // Add it to the web page
         dark=document.getElementById('darkenScreenObject');  
         // Get the object.  
     }
      
     if (vis) 
     {    
         if(elementID == "body")
         {        
             // Calculate the page width and height              
             if( document.body && ( document.body.scrollWidth || document.body.scrollHeight ) ) 
             {        
                 var pageWidth = document.body.scrollWidth+'px';        
                 var pageHeight = document.body.scrollHeight+'px';    
             } 
             else if( document.body.offsetWidth ) 
             {      
                 var pageWidth = document.body.offsetWidth+'px';      
                 var pageHeight = document.body.offsetHeight+'px';    
             } 
             else 
             {       
                 var pageWidth='100%';       
                 var pageHeight='100%';    
             }   
             
         }
         else
         {
            var obj = document.getElementById('positionMarker');
            var curleft = 0;
         
             if (obj.offsetParent)
             {
                  while (obj.offsetParent)
                  {
                       curleft += obj.offsetLeft;
                       obj = obj.offsetParent;
                  }
             }
             else if (obj.x)
                  curleft += obj.x;
             
                     
            dark.style.left = (curleft + 170) + 'px';
            
            var pageHeight;
            
//            if(IE)
//            {
//                dark.style.top = tbody.offsetTop + 100 + 'px';
//                pageHeight = tbody.offsetHeight + 'px';
//            }
//            else
//            {
              if(!IE && elementID == "grayOutArea")
              {
                dark.style.top = tbody.offsetTop + 'px';
                pageHeight = tbody.offsetHeight + 75 + 'px';
              }
              else
              {
                return false;
              }
//            }
            
            var pageWidth = tbody.offsetWidth + 20 + 'px';
         }
         
         //set the shader to cover the entire page and make it visible.    
         dark.style.opacity=opaque;                          
         dark.style.MozOpacity=opaque;                       
         dark.style.filter='alpha(opacity='+opacity+')';     
         dark.style.zIndex=zindex;            
         dark.style.backgroundColor=bgcolor;      
         dark.style.width= pageWidth;    
         dark.style.height= pageHeight;    
         dark.style.display='block';                            
     } 
     else 
     {     
        dark.style.display='none';  
     }
 }