function httpRequest(reqType,url,asynch){
    //Mozilla-based browsers
    if(window.XMLHttpRequest){
        request = new XMLHttpRequest();
    } else if (window.ActiveXObject){
        request=new ActiveXObject("Msxml2.XMLHTTP");
        if (! request){
            request=new ActiveXObject("Microsoft.XMLHTTP");
        }
    }
    //the request could still be null if neither ActiveXObject
    //initialization succeeded
    if(request){
        initReq(reqType,url,asynch);
    } else {
        alert("Your browser does not permit the use of all "+
              "of this application's features!");
    }
}
/* Initialize a request object that is already constructed */
function initReq(reqType,url,bool){
    /* Specify the function that will handle the HTTP response */
    request.onreadystatechange=handleResponse; 
    request.open(reqType,url,bool);
    request.send(null);
}
//event handler for XMLHttpRequest
function handleResponse(  ){
 
	var output = '';
	
	if(request.readyState == 4){
        if(request.status == 200){
           	output = request.responseText;
         	document.getElementById('cart').innerHTML = output;
			
        } else {
			alert("A problem occurred with communicating between "+
                  "the XMLHttpRequest object and the server program.");
        }
    }
	
}

function showLoadMsg (msg){
		hidden = document.getElementById('loadpanel');
		hidden.innerHTML = '<img src="images/indicator.gif" alt="" /> ' + msg;
	}