function initPagination(itemsPerPage)
{
    //how much items per page to show
    var show_per_page = itemsPerPage;
    //getting the amount of elements inside content div
    var number_of_items = $('#pagination_content').children().size();
    
    //calculate the number of pages we are going to have
    var number_of_pages = Math.ceil(number_of_items / show_per_page);

    //set the value of our hidden input fields
    $('#current_page').val(0);
    $('#show_per_page').val(show_per_page);

    //now when we got all we need for the navigation let's make it '

    /*
    what are we going to have in the navigation?
    - link to previous page
    - links to specific pages
    - link to next page
    */
    var navigation_html = '<a class="previous_link pagination_button" href="javascript:previous();"><img src="' + siteUrl + 'images/btnPrevious.jpg"/></a>';
    var current_link = 0;
    while (number_of_pages > current_link) {
        navigation_html += '<a class="page_link pagination_button" href="javascript:go_to_page(' + current_link + ')" longdesc="' + current_link + '">' + (current_link + 1) + '</a>';
        current_link++;
    }
    navigation_html += '<a class="next_link pagination_button" href="javascript:next();"><img src="' + siteUrl + 'images/btnNext.jpg"/></a>';

    $('.page_navigation').html(navigation_html);

    //add active_page class to the first page link
    $('.page_navigation .page_link:first').addClass('active_page');

    //hide all the elements inside content div
    $('#pagination_content').children().css('display', 'none');

    //and show the first n (show_per_page) elements
    $('#pagination_content').children().slice(0, show_per_page).css('display', 'block');

};

function previous() {

    new_page = parseInt($('#current_page').val()) - 1;
   
    //if there is an item before the current active link run the function
    if ($('.active_page').prev('.page_link').length != 0) {
        go_to_page(new_page);
    }

}

function next() {
    new_page = parseInt($('#current_page').val()) + 1;
    //if there is an item after the current active link run the function
    if ($('.active_page').next('.page_link').length != 0) {
        go_to_page(new_page);
    }

}
function go_to_page(page_num) {
    //get the number of items shown per page
    var show_per_page = parseInt($('#show_per_page').val());

    //get the element number where to start the slice from
    start_from = page_num * show_per_page;

    //get the element number where to end the slice
    end_on = start_from + show_per_page;

    //hide all children elements of content div, get specific items and show them
    $('#pagination_content').children().css('display', 'none').slice(start_from, end_on).css('display', 'block');

    /*get the page link that has longdesc attribute of the current page and add active_page class to it
    and remove that class from previously active page link*/
    $('.page_link[longdesc=' + page_num + ']').addClass('active_page').siblings('.active_page').removeClass('active_page');

    //update the current page input field
    $('#current_page').val(page_num);
}