public function render($return_output = false) {

        // get some properties of the class
        $this->get_page();

        // if there is a single page, or no pages at all, don't display anything
        if ($this->_properties['total_pages'] <= 1) return '';

        // start building output
        $output = '<div class="Zebra_Pagination"><ul' . ($this->_properties['css_classes']['list'] != '' ? ' class="' . trim($this->_properties['css_classes']['list']) . '"' : '') . '>';

        // if we're showing records in reverse order
        if ($this->_properties['reverse']) {

            // if "next page" and "previous page" links are to be shown to the left of the links to individual pages
            if ($this->_properties['navigation_position'] == 'left')

                // first show next/previous and then page links
                $output .= $this->_show_next() . $this->_show_previous() . $this->_show_pages();

            // if "next page" and "previous page" links are to be shown to the right of the links to individual pages
            elseif ($this->_properties['navigation_position'] == 'right')

                $output .= $this->_show_pages() . $this->_show_next() . $this->_show_previous();

            // if "next page" and "previous page" links are to be shown on the outside of the links to individual pages
            else $output .= $this->_show_next() . $this->_show_pages() . $this->_show_previous();

        // if we're showing records in natural order
        } else {

            // if "next page" and "previous page" links are to be shown to the left of the links to individual pages
            if ($this->_properties['navigation_position'] == 'left')

                // first show next/previous and then page links
                $output .= $this->_show_previous() . $this->_show_next() . $this->_show_pages();

            // if "next page" and "previous page" links are to be shown to the right of the links to individual pages
            elseif ($this->_properties['navigation_position'] == 'right')

                $output .= $this->_show_pages() . $this->_show_previous() . $this->_show_next();

            // if "next page" and "previous page" links are to be shown on the outside of the links to individual pages
            else $output .= $this->_show_previous() . $this->_show_pages() . $this->_show_next();

        }

        // finish generating the output
        $output .= '</ul></div>';

        // if $return_output is TRUE
        // return the generated content
        if ($return_output) return $output;

        // if script gets this far, print generated content to the screen
        echo $output;

    }