read a text area without submitting

[Rokit]

I'm trying to retrieve the text from a text area and put this in a PHP variable without submitting the form.  The text is provided by a database and I want to format it for the user.  How can I do this with PHP?

 

So basically:

 

<form id="createForm" name="createForm" method="post" action="">
  <textarea name="subjectTextArea" id="subjectTextArea" cols="45" rows="5">
    This is the text I want to put in a PHP variable before the form is submitted.
  </textarea>
</form>

<?php
  $txtArea = ?
?>

 

Thanks for the help.

 

 

[requinix]

You cannot get anything to PHP without submitting data in one way or another. It doesn't have to be with a form - you can do AJAX, for instance.

[litebearer]

I agree with Requinix; however, the question could be read as how to populate the text area with content from the database ("The text is provided by a database and I want to format it for the user")

[Rokit]

I agree with Requinix; however, the question could be read as how to populate the text area with content from the database ("The text is provided by a database and I want to format it for the user")

 

Oh ok, so it has to be submitted.  Yeah, I thought of that right after I posted, litebearer.  It would probably be better just getting the info straight from the database, then I can just format it and put it into the text area.  Thanks anyway guys.