how can I prevent preventDefault from removing the submit button from $_POST? - php

Question

I have a form with two submit buttons:
<form method="POST">
<input type="submit" name="Update" value="Update"/>
<input type="submit" name="Submit" value="Delete"/>
</form>
I need to manipulate some things on the form before it is submitted so I used this jQuery:
$('form').submit(function (e) {
e.originalEvent && e.preventDefault();
//manipulate stuff
this.submit();
});
The problem is, I need to know which button was clicked at the back end but
$_POST['Submit'] and $_POST['Delete']
are both undefined. It seems the inputs are removed from the post array by the jQuery.
What would be a good way to solve that issue?

Answer 1

I would go about it with two event handlers for each button and a hidden input to tell the php which action is requested. As an addition I would advice you to checkout Ajax.
Code is as follows:
$('#update').click(function (e) {
e.originalEvent && e.preventDefault();
//manipulate stuff
$("form").append("<input type = 'hidden' name = 'action' value = 'update' />");
this.submit();
});
$('#delete').click(function (e) {
e.originalEvent && e.preventDefault();
//manipulate stuff
$("form").append("<input type = 'hidden' name = 'action' value = 'delete' />");
this.submit();
});
And on the back-end side you'll get what was submitted in $_POST['action'] that is either going to be "update" or "delete"

Answer 2

I would suggest you add an action as input type hidden and two buttons that may or may not be a part of the form. Add event listeners to the buttons to know when those are clicked and change input action field accordignly, then submit the form.
First, give your form a name or id, rather id.
<input type="hidden" name="action" value=""/>
<input type="submit" name="Update" value="Update"/>
<input type="submit" name="Submit" value="Delete"/>
$('input[type="submit"][name="Update"]').click(function() {
$('input[type="hidden"][name="action"]').val('Update');
$("#something").submit();
});
$('input[type="submit"][name="Submit"]').click(function() {
$('input[type="hidden"][name="action"]').val('Delete');
$("#something").submit();
});