Fill drop down list on page load php - php

Question

I have two input text fields where user has to specify the begin and end of the fly.
<input type="text" name="start" placeholder="Start destination">
<input type="text" name="end" placeholder="End destination">
I would like to change that and give user to chose start and end destination from database.
<select>
<option value="$id">$name</option>
</select>
I know how to get done if i read database and input values manually, but i know its posible if page loads and execute my SELECT QUERY.
So i have to create dropdown list and fill that with a values from database.
This dropdown list has to be filled when the page load.
Some idea for this ???
I am working with php.
Thank you in advance !!
EDIT : I get done this only with php.
<?php
$db_host = "localhost";
$db_username = "root";
$db_password = "";
$db_name = "flights";
$conn = mysql_connect("$db_host","$db_username","$db_password") or die ("no conn");
#mysql_select_db("$db_name") or die ("no database");
if ($conn = true) {
// echo "";
}
//cyrilic
$sql = "SET NAMES 'utf8'";
mysql_query($sql);
//query for end
$sql="SELECT Distinct end from flights_table;";
$result=mysql_query($sql);
echo "<select name=\"city\">";
echo "<option>end destination</option>";
while ($row = mysql_fetch_array($result))
{
echo "<option value='".$row['end']."'>".$row['end']." </option>";
}
echo "</select>";
?>
This php fires when page loads. Those select options i have putted in a form, and when form is submited, it fires php itself. I am getting selected options this way :
$startfly=$_POST['end'];
I am doing this for starting the flight :)
Thank you guys !

Answer 1

Try this :
At the top of page include your database connection file :
<?php
require "connection.php";
?>
Then :
<?php
$selectStart = "Start : <select name='start'>";
$selectEnd = "End : <select name='end'>";
$query = mysql_query("SELECT * FROM someTable ORDER BY dateField ASC");
if(mysql_num_rows($query) > 0)
{
while($row = mysql_fetch_assoc($query))
{
$selectStart .= "<option value='".$row['startItem']."'>".$row['startItemName']."</option>";
$selectEnd .= "<option value='".$row['endItem']."'>".$row['endItemName']."</option>";
}
}
$selectStart = "</select>";
$selectEnd = "</select>";
?>
In your HTML :
<form action='destinationPage.php' method='post'>
<?php
echo $selectStart;
echo $selectEnd;
?>
<input type='submit' value='Submit' />
</form>