[ic] admin item editor not displaying product images

[Lawrence Tartol]

I am currently running Interchange 4.9.8 on RH 9.0 and  Perl 5.8.0.
I have searched the archieves but cannot find anyone who has experianced my
particular problem.
In the 'item editor' and 'general' tab the product images don't show up
under the thumb and image.
I've added a field to the item list with our special inventory number and
left the sku intact to auto increment
and plan to let pgsql and the interchange sku phase out our current
numbering system. I noticed that when I
have arranged the display on the item list a certain way the 'detailed
description' info disappears but a product
image shows up minus the thumb. When I set the 'item list' display to

'sku'        'our inventory #'        'short description'        'product
group'        'category'          etc........

Everything is fine but no product images.
I've looked at the 'included form' and noticed this bit of code.

<script>
function get_images (sku) {
                var path = '[var IMAGE_DIR]';

                var el;
                var divit = document.getElementById('images_table');
                divit.style.display= 'none';
                el = document.getElementById('thumb_img');
                el.src = path + '/thumb/' + sku + '_b.gif';

                el = document.getElementById('item_img');
                el.src = path + '/items/' + sku + '.gif';
                divit.style.display= 'block';
        }
</script>

I use jpeg thumbs and images. I've swapped out the .gif bits with .jpg but
still no luck. I've checked all permissions and such.
The thumbs and images show up fine in the front end but not the back.
Any help would be appreciated.

Lawrence Tartol.