As others have mentioned, AJAX is the best solution for what you requested.
Here is a full example that does what you want. Values in a database will be updated via AJAX, with a response appearing on the page without the page refreshing.
jsFiddle (all working except AJAX)
While jsFiddle cannot demonstrate the AJAX, you can see that in action if you copy/paste the following into two files (three if you break out the javascript into its own file), and edit it to match your own database structure.
Two files are required:
One: index.php (or whatever you wish to call it)
Two: my_php_processor_file.php (if change this name, must also change in the AJAX code block in the javascript
HTML:
<html>
<head>
<script src="//ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jquery/1.9.1/jquery.min.js"></script>
<script src="//ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jqueryui/1.9.1/jquery-ui.min.js"></script>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="http://code.jquery.com/ui/1.9.1/themes/base/jquery-ui.css" />
<style>
</style>
<script type="text/javascript">
//Global var goes here:
editRow = 0;
$(document).ready(function() {
$('#msgbox').dialog({
autoOpen:false,
width:400,
modal:true,
buttons: {
Submit: function() {
var mfn = $('#mfn').val();
var mln = $('#mln').val();
var mem = $('#mem').val();
$('table').find('tr').eq(editRow).find('.fname').val(mfn);
$('table').find('tr').eq(editRow).find('.lname').val(mln);
$('table').find('tr').eq(editRow).find('.email').val(mem);
/*
//Now do the ajax transfer to the server
$.ajax({
type: 'POST',
url: 'my_php_processor_file.php',
data: 'user_id=' +editRow+ '&first_name=' +mfn+ '&last_name=' +mln+ '&email_addy=' +mem,
success:function(recd){
$('#alert').html(recd);
$('#alert').dialog('open');
}
}); //END ajax code block
*/ //Now, close the dialog -- doesn't happen automatically!
$(this).dialog('close');
}, //END Submit button
Cancel: function() {
$(this).dialog('close');
} //END Cancel button
} //END all buttons
}); //END msgbox div (dialog)
$('.editbutt').click(function() {
editRow = $(this).parents('tr').index();
//alert(editRow);
var fn = $(this).parents('tr').find('td').eq(0).find('.fname').val();
var ln = $(this).parents('tr').find('td').eq(1).find('.lname').val();
var em = $(this).parents('tr').find('td').eq(2).find('.email').val();
$('#mfn').val(fn);
$('#mln').val(ln);
$('#mem').val(em);
$('#msgbox').dialog('open');
}); //END editbutt
$('#alert').dialog({
autoOpen:false,
modal:true
});
}); //END document.ready
</script>
</head>
<body>
<table id="tbl">
<tr>
<td>
First Name
</td>
<td>
Last Name
</td>
<td>
Email
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
<input type="text" class="fname" id="fn1">
</td>
<td>
<input type="text" class="lname" id="ln1">
</td>
<td>
<input type="text" class="email" id="em1">
</td>
<td>
<input class="editbutt" type="button" value="Edit Row">
</td>
</tr>
<tr id="tr2">
<td id="td2a">
<input type="text" class="fname" id="fn2">
</td>
<td id="td2b">
<input type="text" class="lname" id="ln2">
</td>
<td id="td2c">
<input type="text" class="email" id="em2">
</td>
<td id="td2d">
<input class="editbutt" type="button" value="Edit Row">
</td>
</tr>
</table>
<div id="msgbox">
<h2>Edit User</h2>
First Name: <input id="mfn" type="text"><br/>
Last Name : <input id="mln" type="text"><br/>
Email Addy: <input id="mem" type="text"><br/>
</div>
<div id="alert"></div>
</body>
</html>
PHP Processor File: my_php_processor_file.php
<?php
$fn = $_POST['first_name'];
$ln = $_POST['last_name'];
$em = $_POST['email_addy'];
$uid = $_POST['user_id'];
/*
//This is where you use the security features of PHP to strip_slashes, and
//protect html_entities, etc. to guard your database against SQL injection
//attacks, etc. SEE THESE POSTS:
https://stackoverflow.com/questions/60174/how-can-i-prevent-sql-injection-in-php
http://www.tizag.com/mysqlTutorial/mysql-php-sql-injection.php
http://blogs.msdn.com/b/brian_swan/archive/2010/03/04/what_2700_s-the-right-way-to-avoid-sql-injection-in-php-scripts_3f00_.aspx
*/
//Now, update the database:
$success = mysql_query("UPDATE `users` SET `email`='$em', `first`='$fn', `last`='$ln' WHERE `user_id` = '$uid'");
//Now, return a message or something
if (mysql_affected_rows() == -1) {
$output = '<h2>Sorry, database update failed</h2>';
}else{
$output = '<h2>Update successful</h2>';
}
echo $output;
Here are some other simple examples of how AJAX works:
A simple example
More complicated example
Populate dropdown 2 based on selection in dropdown 1
