php - How to make a unique $_POST to a form action? - php

Question

I'm having a trouble finding a solution to this. Here is the case, assume that I have 5 books in the database, i will display them by doing a while then mysql_fetch_array assume that I create a table. This is the plot
echo"
<td>
<form action='bookext.php' method='post'>
<input type='submit' value='".$row['book_title']."' style='border: 0; background: transparent';>WHAT TO PUT HERE</form></td>";
the $row['book_title'] works fine because it must display what is the title of the book in the database. But, how can I get it's unique value which is book_id and send it to bookext.php?
PS: Sorry for my title, I can't pull the right english

Answer 1

First of all your current input needs a name attribute:
"<input type='submit' name="title" value='".$row['book_title']."' style='border: 0; background: transparent';>WHAT TO PUT HERE</form></td>";
Since you're using the POST method this will insure the value is available in the $_POST array, like $_POST['title'].
For the id you can add a hidden input to your form:
"<input type='hidden' name='book_id' value='".$row['book_id']."'>"
This will be available to you in $_POST['book_id'] when you submit.

Answer 2

Just insert hidden field to your form
<input type="hidden" name="POST_NAME" value="YOUR_VALUE_TO_IDENTIFY">

Answer 3

Don't use forms in tables.
<form action='bookext.php' method='post'>
<table>
<tr>
<?php foreach($books AS $book){ ?>
<td>
<button type="submit" name="bookId" value="<?php echo $book['id']; ?>">
Title of the book
</button>
</td>
<?php } ?>
</tr>
</table>
</form>
bookext.php
<?php
$id = $_POST['bookId'];