How get post value in pagination - php

Question

I am working on search functionality with pagination in php.Below is my code but whenever I click on next link the search query is not taking variable which is passed through POST.
Can you please help me..
searchstr=$_POST['q'];
session_start();
$_SESSION['searchchar']=$searchstr;
$rec_limit=3;
$connection=connection();
$searchstr=$_REQUEST['q'];
$sql="Select count(*) from FIMTRN_Memorial where FirstName like '%".$_SESSION['searchchar']."%'";
echo$sql;
$result1=mysql_query($sql);
if(! $result1)
{
die('Could not get data: ' . mysql_error());
}
$row = mysql_fetch_array($result1,MYSQL_NUM );
$rec_count = $row[0];
echo$rec_count;
if( isset($_GET{'page'} ) )
{
$page = $_GET{'page'} + 1;
$offset = $rec_limit * $page ;
}
else
{
$page = 0;
$offset = 0;
}
$left_rec = $rec_count - ($page * $rec_limit);
$sql="Select * from FIMTRN_Memorial where FirstName like '%".$_SESSION['searchchar']."%' limit $offset,$rec_limit";
echo$sql;
$result=mysql_query($sql);
$rec_num=mysql_num_rows($result);
if($rec_num>0)
{
while($row = mysql_fetch_array($result,MYSQL_ASSOC))
{
$fname=$row['FirstName'];
$image=$row['ProfileImagePath'];
$about=$row['About'];
$url=$row['CustomURL'];
$DOB=$row['DOB'];
$DOD=$row['DOD'];
?>
<div class="search">
<p class="content"><img src="<?php echo $image;?>" style="border:1px solid red;width:100px;height:100px;" /></p>
<div class="content"><p>
<?php
echo "$fname";
?>
<p>(<?php echo date("Y",strtotime($DOB));?>-<?php echo date("Y", strtotime($DOD));?>)</p>
</p><p><?php echo$about?></p>
</div>
</div>
<?php
}
if( $page > 0 & $left_rec > $rec_limit)
{
$last = $page - 2;
echo "Previous Records |";
echo "Next Records";
}
else if( $page == 0 & $rec_count>$rec_limit )
{
echo "Next Records";
}
else if( $left_rec < $rec_limit & $rec_count>$rec_limit )
{
$last = $page - 2;
echo "Previous Records";
}
}
else
{
echo"No memorial found.Please try with other name.";
}
enter code here
?>

Answer 1

There are a couple problems in your code.
First:
You are using the $_GET variable incorrectly. You have $_GET{'page'}, but you should be using it the same way as the$_POST variable, like this: $_GET['page']
Second:
You are interpreting the idea of POSTing and clicking links incorrectly. What you need to make with your next and previous buttons are a hidden form that has all the other variables you need. For example, the simplest way that won't involve changing a lot of your other code:
if( $page > 0 & $left_rec > $rec_limit)
{
$last = $page - 2;
// Previous button form
echo "<form action='?page=$last' method='POST'>";
echo "<input type='hidden' name='q' value='" . $_POST['q'] . "' />"; // This will be a field that saves information but won't appear on the page (though a user could see it if they view source)
echo "<input type='submit' value='Previous Records' />";
echo "</form>";
echo " | "; // The delimiting character you were using, you'll need to style the input type='submit's to look more like a link if that's what you are going for
// Next button form
echo "<form action='?page=$page' method='POST'>";
echo "<input type='hidden' name='q' value='" . $_POST['q'] . "' />"; // This will be a field that saves information but won't appear on the page (though a user could see it if they view source)
echo "<input type='submit' value='Next Records' />";
echo "</form>";
}
This method will keep your variables in the request. Using a link essentially resets the $_POST variable. There are a ton of other possible solutions, but this is one will require the least amount of work to modify your example.

Answer 2

if you are creating sorting and searching functionality than I will suggest you to use $_SESSION variable rather than $_POST or $_GET it will help you manage your grid/data very well.