How do I tell my PHP script to run a Javascript function? - php

Question

I know this has been posted several times, but I just can't seem to figure it out. Here's an overview of what I'm trying to do:
I have an HTML form located in a PHP file. On form submit, the action calls the same PHP page where the form is located. In doing this, my server runs a bit of PHP code at the top of that page that gathers the information inserted into the form and sends it to me in an email. After the email is sent, I want to hide the DIV containing my form and replace it with a hidden one that will appear, thanking the user for submitted the form, etc.
My question is, how do I get the PHP script to run the Javascript function? My email sends just fine, I just can't get the DIV to replace.
Here's my code.
HTML
<form id="contact-form" name="contact-form" action="contact.php" method="post">
<table>
<tr>
<td width="79"><p><font style="color:#ebe775;">*</font>Name:</p></td>
<td width="309"><input type="text" name="name" id="name" placeholder="First Last" size="45" required></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><p><font style="color:#ebe775;">*</font>Email:</p></td>
<td><input type="email" name="email" id="email" size="45" required></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><p><font style="color:#ebe775;">*</font>Message:</p></td>
<td><textarea name="message" id="message" cols="42" rows="8" required></textarea></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"><input type="submit" value="Submit" name="submit" id="submit"><input type="hidden" name="parse_var" id="parse_var" value="contact-form"></td>
</tr>
</table>
</form>
</div>
<div id="hidden_div" style="display:none;">
<h2>Thank You!</h2>
<p>Your form was submitted. We'll review it and get back with you as soon as we can.</p>
</div>
</div>
</div>
PHP Script
<?php
if ($_POST['parse_var'] == "contact-form"){
$emailSubject = 'New CONTACT Form Submission';
$to = 'my.email#server.com';
$name = $_POST['name'];
$email = $_POST['email'];
$message = $_POST['message'];
$body = <<<EOD
The following information was submitted using the CONTACT form at JakesCreativeDesign.com.
Name: $name
Email: $email
Message: $message
EOD;
$headers = "From: contact#jakescreativedesign.com\r\n";
$headers .= "Content-type: text/html\r\n";
mail("$to", "$emailSubject", "$body", "$headers");
}
?>
Javascript Function
<script type="text/javascript">
function showHide() {
var div = document.getElementById("hidden_div");
if (div.style.display == 'none') {
div.style.display = '';
}
else {
div.style.display = 'none';
}
var div = document.getElementById("form");
if (div.style.display == '') {
div.style.display = 'none';
}
else {
div.style.display = '';
}
}
</script>

Answer 1

You don't. PHP runs on the server. Javascript runs on the client. At most PHP could do somethign like
<?php
echo <<<EOL
<script type="text/javascript">
yourFunction();
</script>
EOL;
?>
so that the function's called when the page is loaded by the browser. But otherwise, once the page is sent off to the client, there is NO WAY for PHP to reach out and tell that page to do something again.

Answer 2

You are looking at it backwards. PHP cannot run javascript because PHP runs on the server and javascript runs in the user's browser. You can call PHP from javascript (via AJAX) but you cannot call javascript from PHP.