Using JavaScript with PHP

[harryuk]

Hi,

I would like to use the $_POST function for the sub-category section of the form. The problem i am having is how i can do this as i am using javascript to automatically update the sub-category section when a item is selected in the category section. So where and how would i put the $_POST function so i can echo the form info including what sub-category item i selected out on my index.php page.

 

I hope that makes sense. Please help

Thank you

team = new Array(
new Array(
new Array("Toesavers", 39482304),	
new Array("Dr. Martens Industrial", 34802389),
new Array("Himalayan", 39823498),
new Array("Caterpillar", 87587343),
new Array("Timberland", 68798735)
),
new Array(
new Array("Hand Protection", 23840238),
new Array("Eye & Face Protection", 92390484),
new Array("WeatherWear", 29048203),
new Array("Head Protection", 94098230),
new Array("Hearing Protection", 39234923),
new Array("Respiratory Protection", 29345423)
),
);
function fillSelectFromArray(selectCtrl, itemArray, goodPrompt, badPrompt, defaultItem) {
var i, j;
var prompt;
// empty existing items
for (i = selectCtrl.options.length; i >= 0; i--) {
selectCtrl.options[i] = null;
}
prompt = (itemArray != null) ? goodPrompt : badPrompt;
if (prompt == null) {
j = 0;
}
else {
selectCtrl.options[0] = new Option(prompt);
j = 1;
}
if (itemArray != null) {
// add new items
for (i = 0; i < itemArray.length; i++) {
selectCtrl.options[j] = new Option(itemArray[i][0]);
if (itemArray[i][1] != null) {
selectCtrl.options[j].value = itemArray[i][1];
}
j++;
}
selectCtrl.options[0].selected = true;
   }
}
<form>
<select name="Make" onchange="fillSelectFromArray(this.form.Team, ((this.selectedIndex == -1) ? null : team[this.selectedIndex-1]));">
<option value="-1" selected="selected">Select Category</option>
<option value="1">Footwear</option>
<option value="2">PPE</option>
<option value="3">Ladders</option>
</select></label>
  <label>
    Sub-Category
  <select name="Team">
  <option></option>
<option></option>
<option></option>
<option></option>
<option></option>
<option></option>
</select></label>
</form>

[voip03]

 

Are you planning update the mysql using js?

 

[harryuk]

Yes i would need it to update mysql as well as echoing out in to a table.

[manix]

I didn't really read the code but after reading the replies I assume that you wanna use ajax with an external php script to modify the database

[harryuk]

One problem.....Not familar with AJAX

[manix]

Well then familiarize, it's not that complicated and it's extremely useful ^^

[harryuk]

ok Thanks. Updating to mysql i not a priority it is more important to be able to echo the form info out in a different page.

[manix]

well I assume you are aware that in order to use POST you need to have a form submit the data to the other page, with that said you can just auto-update those items before the submit is triggered and then you can access them :?

[harryuk]

Yes sorry i do have a submit button i didnt copy all of my coding.

How would you auto update???? The java script updates it when i have ftp'ed it but i need to be able to show what sub-category item i selected when i have submitted.

[manix]

Well I don't really get what's supposed to happen but I understand you have some catalog or something where users select stuff and when they select something some other stuff is autoupdated and you want this autoupdated stuff to be accessible in another page via post, is that correct?

[voip03]

JavaScript that runs on the client-side

PHP run on the server side (server-side language)

You need AJAX to pass variable between php and js

http://www.w3schools.com/PHP/php_ajax_database.asp

[harryuk]

Yes exactly. Under the sub-category section all the option tags have no values until an item is selected on the category section. Usually you would have values already in the option tag so you can add your $_POST function in order to send all form info to another page. But in this instance i do not have any values to be able to add a $_POST function?!?!

[harryuk]

ok viop thank you i will have a look.

[manix]

It's not entirely true you need ajax to pass variables, you can set hidden input fields' values via php and then access them with js but it's risky sometimes

[harryuk]

ok would you mind giving an example???

[manix]

Sure

 

when you're setting up the page if you have some passed data from another page which you need to access in javascript you can do this

 

<? echo "<input type='hidden' id='someid' value='Received data here'/>"; ?>

 

then you access it in js like so

 

thedata = document.getElementById('someid').value

 

 

[harryuk]

ah that makes sense thank you every much for your time1

[manix]

but I don't really recommend this unless you're using it for some crap because it's really easy for a user to edit those hidden inputs, unless there's some way to protect them I'm not aware of