$_POST empty when using $.post - php

Question

Here is my problem:
I want to make a database search using PHP form. I have my form and I want it to work even if there are some empty fields (as like more fields u fill, the more specific answer u get). I am using Jquery to first get values from my form and then send it by $.post to my actual php file which connects with database and do the search. I am simply giving empty fields some specific value which is recognized in my php file as 'empty' field so i can make a proper sql query. The problem is I find my $_post variables empty, even though variables in Jquesry script are set properly. I am using this method in other cases and it works fine. I have no idea if this matter but I am loading my form inside my main div using Jquery as well. The alert(data) function does its job: in prompt window i can see my results of search but reloading profile.php gives me nothing. Here is my code:
form:
<script type="text/javascript" src="scripts/admin.js"></script>
<form id="form_admin">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="180">
<p style="line-height: 2cm; ">
<tr>
<td width="50" class="label1">Imię:</td>
<td>
<input id="imie" type="text" value="">
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="50" class="label1">Nazwisko:</td>
<td>
<input id="nazwisko" type="text" value="">
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="50" class="label1">Numer telefonu:</td>
<td>
<input id="telefon" type="text" value="">
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" colspan="2">
<input type="button" id="register" value="Pokaż!">
<br>
</td>
</tr>
</p>
</table>
</form>
admin.js
$(document).ready(function () {
$("#register").click(function () {
if ($("#imie").val() != "") {
var imie = $("#imie").val();
} else {
var imie = 'nic';
}
if ($("#nazwisko").val() != "") {
var nazwisko = $("#nazwisko").val();
} else {
var nazwisko = 'nic';
}
if ($("#telefon").val() != "") {
var telefon = $("#telefon").val();
} else {
var telefon = 'nic';
}
$.post("profile.php", {
name: imie,
surname: nazwisko,
telephone: telefon
}, function (data) {
alert(data);
});
$("#main").load('profile.php');
});
});
profile.php
<? php
include('config.php');#logging into database
if (isset($_POST['name']) && isset($_POST['surname']) && isset($_POST['telephone'])) {
$IMIE = $_POST['name'];
$NAZWISKO = $_POST['surname'];
$TELEFON = $_POST['telephone'];#then my sql queries go...
while ($user = mysql_fetch_assoc($select)) {
echo 'ORDER_ID zamówienia: '.$user['ORDERINFO_ID'];
echo 'DATA zamówienia: '.$user['DATE_PLACED'];
}
while ($user = mysql_fetch_assoc($select2)) {
echo 'SUBORDER_ID: '.$user['SUBITEM_ID'];
echo 'Ilość: '.$user['QUANTITY'];
echo 'Koszt zamówienia: '.$user['COST'];
}
} else {
echo "$_POST variables aren't set";
}
?>
Edit:
I have installed Firebug and checked POST profile.php after submitted data and it contains all variables as expected.

Answer 1

Try changing your $.post function to:
$.post("profile.php", {
data: "&name=" + imie + "&surname=" + nazwisko + "&telephone=" + telefon
}, function (data) {
alert(data);
});

Answer 2

Your inputs do not have any name
for example:
<input id="imie" type="text" value="" name="imie">