Return data to client-side page

[shawbapmp]

Hi PHP experts,

I am trying to develop a simple PHP process to read user input from an HTML page, use the data for a MySQL database lookup, and return a lookup value back to the originating client-side page.

Everything I've read keeps pointing me back to the echo() function which seems to just generate a new page. I've been toying with the href function but it's not doing what I want either.

Can anyone tell me how to send stuff back to the client-side page or how to send an updated copy back to the user?

PS - And I want to be able to generate a message/alert box on the original client-side page, if you have any tricks on that.

Thanks folks.

[bastien]

place all the code in the same page with functions

<?
if (!$_POST['submit']){

//show user entry form
show_form();

}else{

   //get user requested data
   get_data();

}

function show_form()
{
//html and php code to create a form for user input

}

function get_data()
{
//access user inputs
//validate user input
//scrpit to accecss db and perform query
//echo out results to user
}