function showItemDescription(item_id) {
  var url = "/xml/";
  var pars = "action=show_item_description&type=window&item_id="+item_id;
  /* alternately use this */
  //url = '/catalog/product_info.php';
  //pars = 'products_id='+item_id;
  //var myAjax = new Ajax.Updater('item_description_'+item_id, url, {method: 'get', parameters: pars});
  window.open(url+'?'+pars,'itemdesc','scrollbars=yes,width=480,height=620');
}
function showTableOfContents(item_id) {
  var url = "/xml/";
  var pars = "action=show_table_of_contents&type=window&item_id="+item_id;
  /* alternately use this */
  //url = '/catalog/product_info.php';
  //pars = 'products_id='+item_id;
  //var myAjax = new Ajax.Updater('item_description_'+item_id, url, {method: 'get', parameters: pars});
  window.open(url+'?'+pars,'toc_window','scrollbars=yes,width=480,height=620');
}