How to pass a variable / data from javascript to php and vice versa?

Question

It bothers me just now and got it solved. Just want to know how you'd do it.

Answer 1

I think you more or less just described Ajax.

(sorry for the terse reply)

Answer 2

You can pass data from PHP to javascript but the only way to get data from javascript to PHP is via AJAX.

The reason for that is you can build a valid javascript through PHP but to get data to PHP you will need to get PHP running again, and since PHP only runs to process the output, you will need a page reload or an asynchronous query.

Answer 3

There's a few ways, the most prominent being getting form data, or getting the query string. Here's one method using JavaScript. When you click on a link it will call the _vals('mytarget', 'theval') which will submit the form data. When your page posts back you can check if this form data has been set and then retrieve it from the form values.

<script language="javascript" type="text/javascript">
 function _vals(target, value){
   form1.all("target").value=target;
   form1.all("value").value=value;
   form1.submit();
 }
</script>

Alternatively you can get it via the query string. PHP has your _GET and _SET global functions to achieve this making it much easier.

I'm sure there's probably more methods which are better, but these are just a few that spring to mind.

EDIT: Building on this from what others have said using the above method you would have an anchor tag like

<a onclick="_vals('name', 'val')" href="#">My Link</a>

And then in your PHP you can get form data using

$val = $_POST['value'];

So when you click on the link which uses JavaScript it will post form data and when the page posts back from this click you can then retrieve it from the PHP.

Answer 4

Take a look at this thread: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/402348/getting-setting-cookies-on-different-domains-with-javascript-or-other#406318

There I wrote how to use ajax to read a cookie from a php-file...

Answer 5

Passing data from PHP is easy, you can generate JavaScript with it. The other way is a bit harder - you have to invoke the PHP script by a Javascript request.

An example (using traditional event registration model for simplicity):

<!-- headers etc. omitted -->
<script>
function callPHP(params) {
    var httpc = new XMLHttpRequest(); // simplified for clarity
    var url = "get_data.php";
    httpc.open("POST", url, true); // sending as POST

    httpc.setRequestHeader("Content-Type", "application/x-www-form-urlencoded");
    httpc.setRequestHeader("Content-Length", params.length); // POST request MUST have a Content-Length header (as per HTTP/1.1)

    httpc.onreadystatechange = function() { //Call a function when the state changes.
    if(httpc.readyState == 4 && httpc.status == 200) { // complete and no errors
        alert(httpc.responseText); // some processing here, or whatever you want to do with the response
        }
    }
    httpc.send(params);
}
</script>
<a href="#" onclick="callPHP('lorem=ipsum&foo=bar')">call PHP script</a>
<!-- rest of document omitted -->

Whatever get_data.php produces, that will appear in httpc.responseText. Error handling, event registration and cross-browser XMLHttpRequest compatibility are left as simple exercises to the reader ;)

Answer 6

I'd use JSON as the format and Ajax (really XMLHttpRequest) as the client->server mechanism.

Answer 7

Hi, the other way to exchange data from php to javascript or vice versa is by using cookies, you can save cookies in php and read by your javascript, for this you don't have to use forms or ajax

Answer 8

Using cookies is a easy way. You can use jquery and a pluging as jquery.cookie or create your own. Using Jquery + jquery.cookie, by example

   <script>
   var php_value = '<?php echo $php_variable; ?>';

   var infobar_active = $.cookie('php_value');
   var infobar_alert  = any_process(infobar_active);

    //set a cookie to readit via php
   $.cookie('infobar_alerta', infobar_alerta );

   </script>

   <?php 

    var js_value = code to read a cookie

   ?>

I've found this usefull Server-Side and Hybrid Frameworks: http://www.phplivex.com/ http://www.ashleyit.com/rs/

I've been using Ashley's RSJS Script to update values in HTML without any problem for a long time until I met JQuery (ajax, load, etc.)