Using php to create a button that calls a php function

Question

Currently I have the following but it doesn't like me very much:
1. index.php:

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<body>
<div id = "bookList">
    <?php
    include("list.php");
    ?>
</div>
</body>
</html>

2. list.php:

<?php
echo '<button id = "read">Read</button><br><br>';
echo 
"<script type=\"text/javascript\">
$(\"#read\").click(function()
{
alert(\"<?php display(); ?>\");
});
</script>";

function display()
{
    echo "hello";
}
?>

As is hopefully obvious from the code I posted above, I am attempting to create a button using php which when clicked on will in turn call a php function. I have not been successful as of yet. Any advice will be appreciated but I'd like my code to stay as close to what I currently have as possible.

I read it before I posted this question. It didn't help me diddly squat. — LethalPapercut, May 03 '13 at 20:35
As stated in the other answer, to run any sort of PHP code from HTML/Javascript, you need to make another HTTP request to the server using 1. a link, 2. a form submit or 3. an AJAX request. Have you tried any of these things? — deceze, May 03 '13 at 20:36
In your case in particular though, you seem to be wanting to use jQuery functions without including jQuery into the page? — deceze, May 03 '13 at 20:37
A button by itself is not a link and is not a form; it does not change the page or create an AJAX request. — deceze, May 03 '13 at 20:38
index.php is simply an example of a much larger file. How then would I go about making the button create an AJAX request that would allow me to do what I need? — LethalPapercut, May 03 '13 at 20:41
You can make the button the submit button of a `
` or you explicitly fire off an AJAX request using Javascript. Look at the jQuery documentation for how to do the latter. — deceze, May 03 '13 at 20:42
Since you are using jQuery, here are the api docs for the [`$.ajax`](http://api.jquery.com/jQuery.ajax/) function... — War10ck, May 03 '13 at 20:44

score 10 · Accepted Answer · answered May 03 '13 at 20:36

Some basic misunderstandings here. PHP and Javascript does not interact like that

Let me give a rather silly analogy:

You go to the coffee shop and order some coffee.
The shop keeper gives you the coffee. You take a sip and find you need more sugar
You tell the shopkeeper who adds the sugar to your coffee. Lets call this action addSugar().

Everything is cool here. Now what happens in this second scenario:

You go to the coffee shop and order some coffee.
The shop keeper gives you the coffee. You take the coffee with you and walk home
You take a sip and find you need more sugar
You tell the shopkeeper to addSugar()...? erm...

Well the shopkeeper aint there. In the same way, when a page reaches your browser, it has left the coffee shop. There is no PHP/shopkeeper around anymore

Your request to addSugar() that you are trying on button click using Javascript will not work.

What you will need to do is use something called AJAX which is a way to quickly run to the coffeshop just for adding a little sugar.. Its a broader topic and you will need to read about it, but there are tons of resources out there..

Cleared up the theory for me really well but how would I go about implementing AJAX to do what I need in this instance? — LethalPapercut, May 03 '13 at 20:44
Well you could start by checking how to make an ajax call using [jquery](http://api.jquery.com/jQuery.ajax/) which is pretty easy to understand.. There are some really easy tutorials out there.. — raidenace, May 03 '13 at 20:46

Using php to create a button that calls a php function

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