Wordpress use query as AJAX - php

Question

I have a custom field selectbox where I chose which Posts I want to be displayed. Now I want the query, where I get the selected Posts and its custom fields, to somehow be used as an AJAX-call so that I can use the data-output to build a masonry-grid. Is that possible?
here is my data/query:
$posts = get_field('choose_artist');
if( $posts ): ?>
<?php foreach( $posts as $p ): ?>
<div class="artist">
<a href="<?php echo get_permalink( $p->ID ); ?>">
<div style="position: relative;">
<?php $image = get_field('artist_image', $p->ID); ?>
<div class="artist-image" style="background-image:url('<?php echo $image['url']; ?>')"></div>
<div class="overlay">
<div class="content">
<p><?php the_field('artist_name', $p->ID); ?></p>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</a>
</div>
<?php endforeach; ?>
So, my goal is something like:
$.ajax({
url: '/the query above',
success: function(data){
data is the query html
}})
Is that even possible?

Answer 1

ajax.php
$content = '';
if( $posts ) {
foreach( $posts as $p ) {
$image = get_field('artist_image', $p->ID);
$content .= '<div class="artist">';
$content .= '<a href="' . get_permalink( $p->ID ) . '">';
$content .= '<div style="position: relative;">';
$content .= '<div class="artist-image" style="background-image:url("' . $image['url'] . '")"></div>';
$content .= '<div class="overlay">';
$content .= '<div class="content">';
$content .= '<p>' . get_the_field('artist_name', $p->ID). '</p>';
$content .= '</div>';
$content .= '</div>';
$content .= '</div>';
$content .= '</a>';
$content .= '</div>';
}
}
echo $content;
main.js / .php (whereever you have the ajax call)
$.ajax({
url: '/ajax.php', //Path to the ajax.php script
success: function(data){
console.log(data);
}});
Check the documentation for how to catch errors, check for success etc. etc: http://api.jquery.com/jquery.ajax/
There are better ways to do the AJAX page, so refactor it and make it neater, but something similar to the above should work for you if I am understanding your needs, though you'll probably need to tweak it to get what you want.