[RESOLVED] How to simulate "onClick" or any alternative with PHP

moevp

I know that putting code in an "onClick" is pointless since PHP code executes on the server, so the code will just run when the page loaded.

I would need to simulate something similar- here is a little background on the task at hand:

I need a click counter that tracks when someone submits the form. The problem is that I do not have any control over the form, it is a the free form from mapquest to provide users with directions, so I cannot edit the "action" portion of the form.

The second issue is that the final URL has virtually infinite possibilities, so I cannot track for a specific URL either.

Any help would be greatly appreciate it. I am relatively new to PHP, I have done some complex things, but most of it is relatively simple - so explain well please.

Any suggestions? Even if it is using something else instead of PHP and MySQL to accomplish the task.

Thank you

dalecosp

Where is the form? If it's on your server, why can't you control it?

Maybe I'm dense; if the form ultimately submits to mapquest, is it impossible to provide an intermediate handler and perhaps do a redirect, header, etc. ??

edit: And why do you say "simulate" an 'onClick'? That, as you must know, is Javascript, and wouldn't have to be simulated.

It's been a long day; I'm feeling pretty thick ATM. Maybe you could explain more fully?[/edit]

bradgrafelman

To elaborate on dalecosp's explanation of the onClick-ness -

Javascript, the 'onClick' event you speak of, is a client-side scripting solution. The raw source/code of it is sent to the user's browser, and the browser executes the code.

PHP, however, is a server-side scripting solution. The raw source/code is parsed by the server, and the browser never sees it, only the output.

So, is there a way to simulate Javascript's onClick without using Javascript? Well, I'm not sure - maybe there's a VB solution or something, but you definitely can't do this with PHP.

moevp

The form from mapquest looks like:

</form>

To use their 'free' locator, you cannot modify the form, so I was tyring to add a click tracker somehow when someone clicks on the submit button. That's all I meant by simulating making something simialr to it. If not possible, simply a way around it.

At this point I may try an maybe put and intermediate step on the action, then send all those values to mapquest, not sure if it violates their policy, but that is the only thing I can think of trying right now.

Is this similar to what you meant? (to Dalecosp)

dalecosp

Is that similar to what you meant?

Yes. Obviously, I'm not so concerned about their policy, as it is your site and not mine. You should probably take a look at that.

My thought pattern was something like, user clicks form that submit to a handler at your site, your handler records the click, sets up a form with <hidden> fields and action set to the MapQuest URI, and then calls a javascript submit() --- onLoad ...

Dunno if it'd work, but it's the kind of hack that demonstrates how my malformed && maladjusted programming lobe works....

moevp

Thanks, I was wondering myself how I was going to submit the form without the user doing anything... hadn't thought about the submit onLoad possibility.

I took a look at the policy, and I think I'm ok. Since I am not adding any extra advertisement, or making the form information appear on my site. I just track the click. All the fields are submitted as required to their .adp file.

I will give it a try tomorrow, since I just got a couple of high priority projects.

thanks