Variables, how long do they last?

[Anon]

I am making a searchable mysql database script with php. I am wondering, the script I have is embedded within the html results file. Once this script has been executed and whole page displayed, is it possible to use variables used to generate the page to change its look? (I want to send a mysql query changing the ORDER by to the column that they click on).

Thanks.

[Anon]

No that can't be done using PHP. PHP is a server side language that does all of it's work and ends before the user sees anything in there browser (generally, there are exceptions, but you aren't dealing with any of them). What you want to do is going to take javascript, and or DHTML, neither of which I'm familiar enough with to help you. But at least knowing where to look should help.

[[deleted]]

The variable 'die' when the script dies, but that doesn't stop you from printing the vars into an URL for later use.

[Anon]

The variables will cease to be once the script has finished executing - what you've got here is an exercise in maintaining state.

Your sort order links need to have all of the relevant vars encoded into the URL they send. If it's a simple <a> link you're using, gert the script to print out all the relevant variables into the link as a query string.

<?php

echo "<a href=\"list.php?sort_by=name&ampquery=${query}&amplist_from=${list_from}&amplist_to=${list_to}\">Sort By Name</a>\n";

?>

[Anon]

Damn!! I've not used this board before, and it unescaped my escapes... if you see what I mean ;o)- your ampersands in the URL need to be output in their proper escaped format (&amp;amp😉