Here is how you could do a text-based slideshow in Prototype/Script.aculo.us:

We declare a JavaScript array:

var students = new Array ("Audrey", "John", "Mark", "Benny", "Peter");  

We need a div with an id of ‘panel’ that will contain the slideshow.

document.observe(’dom:loaded’ , function() {
     i=0;
     new PeriodicalExecuter(cycle, 5  //5-second interval
     );
 });
 
function cycle(){                          
         $(’panel’ ).visualEffect  (’BlindUp’,
              { duration: 1,             
              fps: 50,           
            afterFinish: function() {           
            $(’panel’).update(students[i]); //the div is still invisible at this point
            $(’panel’ ).visualEffect  (’BlindDown’,
              { duration: 1,
                fps: 50,
                queue:’end’
              }
            );        
         }
       });
        
        i++;
        if(i==students.length)
             i=0; //restart the slideshow
 }

 

This code will display all the elements of the array, one by one, automatically at a 5-second  interval.