function cols()
{ var col1, col2, col3, maxheight
  col1 = document.getElementById("menuleft_outer")
  col2 = document.getElementById("right_outer")
  if (!col2) { col2 = document.getElementById("form_outer") }
  if (!col1 || !col2)	// i.e. probably the home page
  { col1 = document.getElementById("home_itembox_1")
    col2 = document.getElementById("home_itembox_2")
    col3 = document.getElementById("home_itembox_3")
  }
  if (!col1 || !col2) return	// unknown page
  maxheight = col1.offsetHeight
  if (col2.offsetHeight > maxheight) maxheight = col2.offsetHeight
  if (col3)if (col3.offsetHeight > maxheight) maxheight = col3.offsetHeight
  col1.style.height = maxheight + 'px'
  col2.style.height = maxheight + 'px'
  if (col3) col3.style.height = maxheight + 'px'
}