//Gets a date in UK format (dd/mm/yyyy) and returns it as a javascript date object.
Date.fromUKFormat = function(sUK) {
    var A = sUK.split(/[\\\/]/);
    A = [A[1], A[0], A[2]];
    return new Date(Date.parse(A.join('/')));
}


// Calculates how many days
function countdownOlympics(start_date, end_date, target) {
    if (target == undefined) var target = "countdown";

    var start_date = Date.fromUKFormat(start_date);
    var today = new Date();

    if (start_date <= today) {
        if (end_date != undefined) {
            var end_date = Date.fromUKFormat(end_date);
            if (end_date >= today) {
                var diff = Math.round((today - start_date) / (60 * 60 * 24 * 1000));
                var msg = "The Olympic Games have started " + diff + " days ago.";
            }
            else {
                var node = document.getElementById(target);
                node.parentNode.removeChild(node);
                return false;
            }
       }
        else{
           var diff = Math.round((today - start_date) / (60 * 60 * 24 * 1000));
           var msg = "The Olympic Games have started " + diff + " days ago."; 
        }
    }
    else {
        var diff = Math.round((start_date - today) / (60 * 60 * 24 * 1000));
        var msg = diff + " days to the " + start_date.getFullYear() + " Olympics.";
    }

    document.getElementById(target).innerHTML = msg;
}