How do I keep variables when following a link?

[Darien_Shields]

I'm trying to figure out how I can keep the variables I've got when following a link to another PHP file, or even the same file. I don't know if I'm putting this clearly or not, sorry if I'm not, but... what I'm asking is, can I say "go to this file, and have the same $text variable with the same value as you had in this file"? Also if it could be done with a form such as the following, that would be helpful.

<FORM ACTION="hello.php" METHOD="GET">
<P>Action: <INPUT TYPE="text" NAME="action" />
</P>
</FORM>

Thanks in advance, and I apologise if this is something of a newbish question.

[frikikip]

You may want to take a look at sessions:

http://www.php.net/manual/en/features.sessions.php

[lupus2k5]

form.php

<form action="hello.php" method="get">
<p>Action: <input type="text" name="action"><input type="submit" name="Submit" value="Go"></p>
</form>

hello.php

<?php
$_GET['action'] = $action; // Receives from form value; use $_POST['action'] if your form's method is POST
echo "You typed <b>".$action."</b>!";
?>

Or if you don't want to use a form, just use

<a href="hello.php?action=dostuff">Click here to do stuff in hello.php!</a>