PHP post a variable within tag

Question

I have a website where the user enters the name of a movie, a search is done on an SQL db and all movies with a similar name are displayed in a table format.
The name of each movie is also a link to a second page which displays further details about this movie.

However in order to get the further details, I need to do another query on this movie on the second page, so ideally when the user clicks on the movie name on the first page, the link should also post the name of the movie to the second page as a variable.
I can then take that variable and use it in the query on the second page.

I dont want to add invisible forms as this still adds buttons to the table, I need the table to stay as it is.

<?php

    $username = "root";
    $password = "";
    $hostname = "localhost";

    $db_handle = mysql_connect($hostname, $username, $password) or die ("Could not connect to database");

    $selected= mysql_select_db("login", $db_handle);

    $output='';
    $output1='';
    $tablehead='';

    if(isset($_POST['search'])){
        $searchq = $_POST['search'];

        $query = mysql_query("SELECT * FROM PHP_Item WHERE Name LIKE '%$searchq%'") or die ("Could not search");
        $count = mysql_num_rows($query);

        if($count == 0){
            $output = 'there were no search results';
        }else{
            $tablehead.= "<table id='searchtable'>
                           <tr>
                              <th>
                                 Name
                              </th>
                              <th>
                                 Price
                              </th>
                           </tr>
                        </table>";
            while($row = mysql_fetch_array($query)){
                $mName = $row['Name'];
                $price = $row['Price'];
                $id= $row['ItemID'];         
                 $output1.= 
                     "<table id='searchtable'>
                        <tr>
                           <td>
                              <a href='searchresult.php'>$mName</a>
                           </td>
                           <td>
                              £$price
                           </td>
                        </tr>
                     </table>";
            }
        }
    }
?>

Please, [stop using `mysql_*` functions](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/12859942/why-shouldnt-i-use-mysql-functions-in-php). They are no longer maintained and are [officially deprecated](https://wiki.php.net/rfc/mysql_deprecation). Learn about [prepared statements](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prepared_statement) instead, and use [PDO](http://jayblanchard.net/demystifying_php_pdo.html). — Jay Blanchard, May 04 '15 at 16:06

David Ansermot · Accepted Answer · 2015-05-04T16:15:30.927

4

Site the name or id of the movie in the url of each link like this :

<a href='searchresult.php?mName=".urlencode($mName)."'>$mName</a>

Like this in your details page, you can get the name of the movie inside the variable mName :
$mName = $_GET['mName'];

Update :
You should avoid using mysql_* methods since they're deprecated. Use mysqli_* or PDO.

edited May 04 '15 at 16:15

answered May 04 '15 at 16:05

David Ansermot

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1

can I add: do not use mysql library anymore? :) These are officially deprecated. – Lelio Faieta May 04 '15 at 16:06
Don't understand your comment – David Ansermot May 04 '15 at 16:07
@Don'tPanic Updated, but more code should be added, on details page too, but I won't do the work. – David Ansermot May 04 '15 at 16:08
@David'mArm'Ansermot your answer should include the point that the user is using some php functionalities that are deprecated and need to be replaced by mysqli or better prepared statements. – Lelio Faieta May 04 '15 at 16:08
2

The question is not about mysql and database but about sending bariable in url. But I've updated my answer – David Ansermot May 04 '15 at 16:09
I might suggest editing you anchor tag line to show echo or something since you are showing php concatenation. Might be confusing to those new to web dev. – jnthnjns May 04 '15 at 16:11
You also have variable inconsistencies. `$mName` vs `$moviename` – jnthnjns May 04 '15 at 16:13
Thank you it worked. I wasnt aware the mysql_ methods are deprecated and ill change that asap. Does anyone know why they were replaced, are the new methods easier to use? – tinOfBeans May 04 '15 at 16:15
@Asok I don't totally agree because not seeing the problem, the code works. But updated for newbie dev understand – David Ansermot May 04 '15 at 16:15
2

@Tinashem1996 if you'll read the links in my comment under your original post you'll find the answers. – Jay Blanchard May 04 '15 at 16:23

PHP post a variable within tag

1 Answers1