Preload ajax loaded content - ajax

Question

On my site I use one core/frame PHP file. If user hit one of my link (like contact, our about..etc..) the content loaded via ajax. I use the following snippet to achieve this:
var AjaxContent = function(){
var container_div = '';
var content_div = '';
return {
getContent : function(url){
$(container_div).animate({opacity:0},
function(){ // the callback, loads the content with ajax
$(container_div).load(url, //only loads the selected portion
function(){
$(container_div).animate({opacity:1});
}
);
});
},
ajaxify_links: function(elements){
$(elements).click(function(){
AjaxContent.getContent(this.href);
return false;
});
},
init: function(params){
container_div = params.containerDiv;
content_div = params.contentDiv;
return this;
}
}
}();
I need help how to integrate a preloading, so if visitors hit one of my link (for example the gallery menu) will see a little loading image, because now they see the big white nothing for long - long seconds.

Answer 1

Add loading image beforing ajax call and after you get response from server simply replace that image with data like the one below
function(){ // the callback, loads the content with ajax
$(container_div).html("<img src='loading.gif' />");//add image before ajax call
$(container_div).load(url, //only loads the selected portion
function(){
$(container_div).html(data);//replace image with server response data
$(container_div).animate({opacity:1});
}

Answer 2

Try this
var AjaxContent = function(){
var container_div = '';
var content_div = '';
return {
getContent : function(url){
$(container_div).html('Loading...'); //replace with your loading img html code
$(container_div).load(url, //only loads the selected portion
function(){
$(container_div).css({opacity:0});
$(container_div).animate({opacity:1});
});
},
ajaxify_links: function(elements){
$(elements).click(function(){
AjaxContent.getContent(this.href);
return false;
});
},
init: function(params){
container_div = params.containerDiv;
content_div = params.contentDiv;
return this;
}
}
}();