ajax 'url' issue (I think) - php

Question

Got a question re submitting forms using ajax. I am trying to submit a 'contact' form using jquery/ajax. I got some code online and would like to tailor it to my needs. It seems that the 'url' parameter for the ajax function is not working properly. When I enter the full url for the php code, ajax throws and error, but when I enter a fake url, the ajax code executes (without, obviously, sending any information). So, let me show the form I have and the ajax code. I also have a php file, where the actual processing is done. The php file right now does nothing other than 'return true'. Please, take a look at the ajax code and see if you find anything obvious. Thx a lot.
HTML:
<div class="container">
<!-- Contacts -->
<div id="contacts">
<div class="row">
<!-- Alignment -->
<div class="col-sm-offset-3 col-sm-6">
<p> </p>
<p>Thank you for contacting <em>Make it to the Finish Line</em>. We will get back to you within 24 hours.</p>
<p> </p>
<!-- Form itself -->
<form name="sentMessage" class="well" id="contactForm" novalidate ><!--action="contactcode.php" method="POST">-->
<legend>Contact Form</legend>
<div class="control-group">
<div class="controls">
<input type="text" class="form-control" placeholder="Name" id="name" /><!--required data-validation-required-message="Please enter your name" />-->
<p class="help-block"></p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="control-group">
<div class="controls">
<input type="email" class="form-control" placeholder="Email" id="email" required data-validation-required-message="Please enter your email" />
</div>
</div>
<div class="control-group">
<div class="controls">
<textarea rows="10" cols="100" class="form-control" placeholder="Message" id="message"></textarea><!--required
data-validation-required-message="Please enter your message" minlength="5" data-validation-minlength-message="Min 5 characters"
maxlength="999" style="resize:none"></textarea>-->
</div>
</div>
<div id="success"> </div>
<!-- For success/fail messages -->
<button type="submit" class="btn btn-primary pull-right">Send</button>
<br />
</form>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
AJAX:
$(function() {
$("input,textarea").jqBootstrapValidation(
{
preventSubmit: true,
submitError: function($form, event, errors) {
// something to have when submit produces an error ?
// Not decided if I need it yet
},
submitSuccess: function($form, event) {
event.preventDefault(); // prevent default submit behaviour
// get values from FORM
var name = $("input#name").val();
var email = $("input#email").val();
var message = $("textarea#message").val();
var firstName = name; // For Success/Failure Message
// Check for white space in name for Success/Fail message
if (firstName.indexOf(' ') >= 0) {
firstName = name.split(' ').slice(0, -1).join(' ');
}
$.ajax({
type: "POST",
url: "./php/contactcode.php",
data: {name: name, email: email, message: message},
cache: false,
success: function() {
// Success message
$('#success').html("<div class='alert alert-success'>");
$('#success > .alert-success').html("<button type='button' class='close' data-dismiss='alert' aria-hidden='true'>×")
.append( "</button>");
$('#success > .alert-success')
.append("<strong>Message sent successfully. Thank you again. </strong>");
$('#success > .alert-success')
.append('</div>');
//clear all fields
$('#contactForm').trigger("reset");
},
error: function() {
// Fail message
$('#success').html("<div class='alert alert-danger'>");
$('#success > .alert-danger').html("<button type='button' class='close' data-dismiss='alert' aria-hidden='true'>×")
.append( "</button>");
$('#success > .alert-danger').append("<strong>Sorry "+firstName+" it seems that my mail server is not responding...</strong> Please email me directly to <a href='mailto:ralf.riedel#usm.edu?Subject=error from MITTFL contact form'>ralf.riedel#usm.edu</a>. Sorry for the inconvenience.");
$('#success > .alert-danger').append('</div>');
//clear all fields
$('#contactForm').trigger("reset");
},
})
},
filter: function() {
return $(this).is(":visible");
},
});
$("a[data-toggle=\"tab\"]").click(function(e) {
e.preventDefault();
$(this).tab("show");
});
});
/*When clicking on Full hide fail/success boxes */
$('#name').focus(function() {
$('#success').html('');
});

Answer 1

Change
url: "./php/contactcode.php",
to
url: "/php/contactcode.php",
And change the success function to this (just to make it more clean)
$('#success').html("<div class='alert alert-success'><button type='button' class='close' data-dismiss='alert' aria-hidden='true'>×</button><strong>Message sent successfully. Thank you again. </strong></div>");
Because append means to insert something inside this element (at the end). You appended the closing tag of an element inside it, I don't think this is a good practice.