how can I pass a variable from an input box on one page to another page and use this info to perform a search on page 2?

Question

I'm sure the answer to this is easy, but I'm a php/javascript noob, hence my question. The first three pieces of code, ending with "echo $_POST['new_search_text'];", works visually perfectly, but now I want to figure out how to get the input entered in the first section's form passed and used for the search criteria on my search page (the search page code starts with "{include file='header.tpl'}" and ends with "{include file='footer.tpl'}"). I'd like it so the info passed automatically searches on the search page as if I had typed it there directly and hit "search" and then have it display the results on the search page. I'm using smarty templates, and have also included the back bone PHP code from my search page (starting with "$page = "search";"). I can't use Jquery as it interferes with other code, but I imagine the solution is rather straightforward.

Thanks!!

    <form id="searchForm" action="./search.php" method="post">
        <input type="text" name="new_search_text" value="">
        <input type="submit" value="Search">
        <input type="submit" value="Cancel" onclick="showSearchLink();return false;">
    </form>
    <a id="searchLink" class="button_link_main" href="./search.php" onclick="showSearchForm();return false;">Link</a>


    function showSearchForm() {
        // show the form by setting style="display:inline"
        document.getElementById('searchForm').style.display = 'inline';
        // hide the link by setting style="display:none"
        document.getElementById('searchLink').style.display = 'none';
    }

    function showSearchLink() {
        // hide the form
        document.getElementById('searchForm').style.display = 'none';
        // show the link
        document.getElementById('searchLink').style.display = 'inline';
    }

    <?php
    echo $_POST['new_search_text'];
    ?>



{include file='header.tpl'}

<img src='./images/icons/search48.gif' border='0' class='icon_big'>
<div class='page_header'>Search Avulsion Net</div>
<div>{lang_print id=924}</div>
<br />
<br />

<form action='search.php' name='search_form' method='post'>
<table cellpadding='0' cellspacing='0' align='center'>
<tr>
<td class='search'>
  <table cellpadding='0' cellspacing='0' align='center'>
  <tr>
  <td>{lang_print id=925}</td>
  <td>&nbsp;<input style='background-color:#CCCCCC' type='text' size='30' class='text' name='search_text' id='search_text' value='{$search_text}' maxlength='100'></td>
  <td>
    &nbsp;<input type='submit' class='button' value='{lang_print id=646}'>
    <input type='hidden' name='task' value='dosearch'>
    <input type='hidden' name='t' value='0'>
  </td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
  <td>&nbsp;</td>
  <td colspan='2'>&nbsp;<b>-=<a href='search_advanced.php'>Browse Members</a>=-</b></td>
  </tr>
  </table>
</div>
</form>
</td>
</tr>
</table>

<br>

{if $search_text != ""}

  {if $is_results == 0}

    <table cellpadding='0' cellspacing='0' align='center'>
    <tr>
    <td class='result'>
      <img src='./images/icons/bulb16.gif' class='icon'>
      {lang_sprintf id=927 1=$search_text}
    </td>
    </tr>
    </table>

  {else}


    {* SHOW DIFFERENT RESULT TOTALS *}
    <table class='tabs' cellpadding='0' cellspacing='0'>
    <tr>
    <td class='tab0'>&nbsp;</td>
      {section name=search_loop loop=$search_objects}
        <td class='tab{if $t == $search_objects[search_loop].search_type}1{else}2{/if}' NOWRAP>{if $search_objects[search_loop].search_total == 0}{lang_sprintf id=$search_objects[search_loop].search_lang 1=$search_objects[search_loop].search_total}{else}<a href='search.php?task=dosearch&search_text={$url_search}&t={$search_objects[search_loop].search_type}'>{lang_sprintf id=$search_objects[search_loop].search_lang 1=$search_objects[search_loop].search_total}</a>{/if}</td>
        <td class='tab'>&nbsp;</td>
      {/section}
      <td class='tab3'>&nbsp;</td>
    </tr>
    </table>

    <div class='search_results'>

      {* SHOW PAGES *}
      {if $p != 1}<a href='search.php?task=dosearch&search_text={$url_search}&t={$t}&p={math equation='p-1' p=$p}'>&#171; {lang_print id=182}</a> &nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp;{/if}
      {if $p_start == $p_end}
        <b>{lang_sprintf id=184 1=$p_start 2=$total_results}</b> ({lang_sprintf id=928 1=$search_time}) 
      {else}
        <b>{lang_sprintf id=185 1=$p_start 2=$p_end 3=$total_results}</b> ({lang_sprintf id=928 1=$search_time}) 
      {/if}
      {if $p != $maxpage}&nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp; <a href='search.php?task=dosearch&search_text={$url_search}&t={$t}&p={math equation='p+1' p=$p}'>{lang_print id=183} &#187;</a>{/if}

      <br><br>

      {* SHOW RESULTS *}
      {section name=result_loop loop=$results}

    <div class='search_result{cycle name="class_name" values="1,2,2,1"}' style='width: 400px; float: left; border: 1px solid #CCCCCC; margin: 5px;'>
    <table cellpadding='0' cellspacing='0'>
        <tr>
        <td valign='top' style='padding-right: 4px;'>
      <a href="{$results[result_loop].result_url}" class="title"><img src='{$results[result_loop].result_icon}' class='photo' width='60' height='60' border='0'></a>
    </td>
    <td valign='top'>
          <div class='search_result_text'>
        {capture assign='result_title'}{lang_sprintf id=$results[result_loop].result_name 1=$results[result_loop].result_name_1}{/capture}
            <a href="{$results[result_loop].result_url}" class="title">{$result_title|truncate:40:"...":true}</a>
            <div class='search_result_text2'>{lang_sprintf id=$results[result_loop].result_desc 1=$results[result_loop].result_desc_1 2=$results[result_loop].result_desc_2 3=$results[result_loop].result_desc_3}</div>
        {if $results[result_loop].result_online == 1}<div style='margin-top: 5px;'><img src='./images/icons/online16.gif' border='0' class='icon'>{lang_print id=929}</div>{/if}
          </div>
    </td>
    </tr>
    </table>
    </div>
        {cycle name="clear_cycle" values=",<div style='clear: both; height: 0px;'></div>"}
      {/section}

      <div style='clear:both;'></div><br />

      {* SHOW PAGES *}
      {if $p != 1}<a href='search.php?task=dosearch&search_text={$url_search}&t={$t}&p={math equation='p-1' p=$p}'>&#171; {lang_print id=182}</a> &nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp;{/if}
      {if $p_start == $p_end}
        <b>{lang_sprintf id=184 1=$p_start 2=$total_results}</b> ({lang_sprintf id=928 1=$search_time}) 
      {else}
        <b>{lang_sprintf id=185 1=$p_start 2=$p_end 3=$total_results}</b> ({lang_sprintf id=928 1=$search_time}) 
      {/if}
      {if $p != $maxpage}&nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp; <a href='search.php?task=dosearch&search_text={$url_search}&t={$t}&p={math equation='p+1' p=$p}'>{lang_print id=183} &#187;</a>{/if}


    </div>
  {/if}
{/if}


{* JAVASCRIPT TO AUTOFOCUS ON SEARCH FIELD *}
{literal}
<script type="text/javascript">
<!-- 
  window.addEvent('load', function(){ $('search_text').focus(); });
//-->
</script>
{/literal}


{include file='footer.tpl'}



<?php

$page = "search";
include "header.php";

// DISPLAY ERROR PAGE IF USER IS NOT LOGGED IN AND ADMIN SETTING REQUIRES REGISTRATION
if($user->user_exists == 0 && $setting['setting_permission_search'] == 0)
{
  $page = "error";
  $smarty->assign('error_header', 639);
  $smarty->assign('error_message', 656);
  $smarty->assign('error_submit', 641);
  include "footer.php";
}

if(isset($_POST['task'])) { $task = $_POST['task']; } elseif(isset($_GET['task'])) { $task = $_GET['task']; } else { $task = "main"; }
if(isset($_POST['p'])) { $p = (int) $_POST['p']; } elseif(isset($_GET['p'])) { $p = (int) $_GET['p']; } else { $p = 1; }
if(isset($_POST['search_text'])) { $search_text = $_POST['search_text']; } elseif(isset($_GET['search_text'])) { $search_text = $_GET['search_text']; } else { $search_text = ""; }
if(isset($_POST['t'])) { $t = $_POST['t']; } elseif(isset($_GET['t'])) { $t = $_GET['t']; } else { $t = 0; }

// SET VARS
$results_per_page = 20;
$results = Array();
$total_results = 0;
$is_results = 0;
$object_count = 0;
$search_objects = Array();
$is_next_page = 0;
if($p < 1) { $p = 1; }



// DO SEARCH
if($task == "dosearch" && $search_text != "")
{
  // START SEARCH TIMER
  $start_timer = getmicrotime();

  // SEARCH PROFILES
  search_profile();

  // CALL SEARCH HOOK
  ($hook = SE_Hook::exists('se_search_do')) ? SE_Hook::call($hook, array()) : NULL;

  // GET GRAND TOTAL RESULTS
  for($r=0;$r<count($search_objects);$r++)
  {
    if($search_objects[$r][search_total] != 0)
    { 
      if($total_results == 0) { header("Location: search.php?task=dosearch&search_text=".urlencode($search_text)."&t=".$search_objects[$r]['search_type']); exit(); }
      $is_results = 1; 
    }
  }

  // END TIMER
  $end_timer = getmicrotime();
  $search_time = round($end_timer - $start_timer, 3); 

  // CHECK TO SEE IF THERE IS A "NEXT PAGE"
  if(count($results) > $results_per_page)
  { 
    $is_next_page = 1;
    while(count($results) > $results_per_page)
    {
      array_pop($results);
    }
  }

  // IF TOTAL RESULTS IS MORE THAN 200, CHANGE TO 200+
  if($total_results > 200)
  { 
    if($is_next_page == 1) { $maxpage = $p+1; } else { $maxpage = $p; }
    $total_results = "200+";
  }
  else
  {
    if(($total_results % $results_per_page) != 0) { $maxpage = ($total_results) / $results_per_page + 1; } else { $maxpage = ($total_results) / $results_per_page; }
    $maxpage = (int) $maxpage; 
  }

  // IF RESULTS IS EMPTY AND PAGE ISN'T 1, DISPLAY NOTHING
  if(count($results) == 0 && $p != 1) { $search_text = ""; }
}



// SET THE GLOBAL PAGE TITLE
$global_page_title[0] = 646;
$global_page_description[0] = 924;


// ASSIGN SMARTY VARIABLES AND INCLUDE FOOTER
$smarty->assign('search_text', $search_text);
$smarty->assign('url_search', urlencode($search_text));
$smarty->assign('is_results', $is_results);
$smarty->assign('results', $results);
$smarty->assign('total_results', $total_results);
$smarty->assign('search_objects', $search_objects);
$smarty->assign('search_time', $search_time);
$smarty->assign('maxpage', $maxpage);
$smarty->assign('t', $t);
$smarty->assign('p', $p);
$smarty->assign('p_start', (($p-1)*$results_per_page)+1);
$smarty->assign('p_end', (($p-1)*$results_per_page)+count($results));
include "footer.php";
?>

Answer 1

There are probably several approaches you could take to accomplish this. One way would be to write a javascript function which checks for the presence of the POST var 'new_search_text' and then programmatically puts this string in the search box and submits the form if found.

<script>
  function checkForAutoSearch()
  {
    var searchString = <?php echo (!empty($_POST['new_search_term'])) ? $_POST['new_search_term'] : ''; ?>;

    if (searchString)
    {
      // put searchString into the second search field
      document.getElementById('search_text').value = searchString;

      // up in your search form, assign the form tag an id first: id="search_form"
      // then submit the form:
      document.getElementById('search_form').submit();
    }
  }

  // now fire this function whenever the page loads
  window.onload = checkForAutoSearch;
</script>

On a side note, you mentioned that you can't use jQuery but down in the js code to set auto focus to the search field it appears you are using jQuery. You may need to lookup the straight javascript way of setting focus if you need to remove jQuery.

Answer 2

@john-mcmahon Okay here is the code I put in search2.tpl (I use Smarty templates). The second code bit is the search form on page ONE, and the third code bit, the associated search form from page TWO. It doesn't error out, and goes to the search page when I type in a search query and click submit, but it doesn't search for the entered text or do anything except maybe refresh itself.... Any ideas?

<script type="text/javascript">
<!-- 
  function checkForAutoSearch()
  {
    var searchString = <?php echo (!empty($_POST['new_search_text'])) ? $_POST['new_search_text'] : ''; ?>;

    if (searchString)
    {
      // put searchString into the second search field
      document.getElementById('search_text').value = searchString;

      // up in your search form, assign the form tag an id first: id="search_form_new"
      // then submit the form:
      document.getElementById('search_form_new').submit();
    }
  }

  // now fire this function whenever the page loads
  window.onload = checkForAutoSearch;
//-->
</script>




<form id="searchForm_newsearch" action="./search2.php" method="post"><input type="text" name="new_search_text" value=""><input type="submit" value="Search"><input type="submit" value="Cancel" onclick="showSearchLink();return false;"></form><a id="searchLink" class="button_link_main" href="./search2.php" onclick="showSearchForm();return false;"><img src="/images/search.png" onmouseover="this.src='/images/searchsite_hover.png'" onmouseout="this.src='/images/search.png'" /></a>




<form id="search_form_new" action='search2.php' name='search_form' method='post'>
<table cellpadding='0' cellspacing='0' align='center'>
<tr>
<td class='search'>
  <table cellpadding='0' cellspacing='0' align='center'>
  <tr>
  <td>{lang_print id=925}</td>
  <td>&nbsp;<input style='background-color:#CCCCCC' type='text' size='30' class='text' name='search_text' id='search_text' value='{$search_text}' maxlength='100'></td>
  <td>
    &nbsp;<input type='submit' class='button' value='{lang_print id=646}'>
    <input type='hidden' name='task' value='dosearch'>
    <input type='hidden' name='t' value='0'>
  </td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
  <td>&nbsp;</td>
  <td colspan='2'>&nbsp;<b>-=<a href='search_advanced.php'>Browse Members</a>=-</b></td>
  </tr>
  </table>
</div>
</form>