onclick -> mysql query -> javascript; same page - php

Question

I need button to begin a mysql query to then insert the results into a javacript code block which is to be displayed on the same page that the button is on. mysql queries come from the values of drop-down menus.
Homepage.php contains
two drop down menus
div id='one' to hold the results javscript code block
a button to stimulate the mysql query to be displayed in div id ='one' through Javascript
flow of the process is as such
1. user chooses an option from each drop down
2. when ready, the user clicks a button
3. the onclick runs a mysql query with selections from the drop down menu.
4. send the results as array from the mysql query into the javascript code block
5. display the results in div id ='one'
all of this needs to happen on the same page!
The problem I am having is that as soon as the page is loaded, the javascipt is static. I am unable to push the mysql results into the javascript on the page which I need it to appear on. Having everything on the same page is causing trouble.
I'm not looking for the exact code laid out for me, just a correct flow of the process that should be used to accomplish this. Thank you in advance!
I've tried
using both dropdowns to call the same javascript function which used httprequest. The function was directed towards a php page which did the mysql processing. The results were then return back through the httprequest to the homepage.
I've tried to save the entire Javascript code block as a php variable with the mysql results already in it, then returning the variable into the home page through HTTPRequest, thinking I could create dynamic javascript code this way. Nothing has worked

Answer 1

You need to use a technology called AJAX. I'd recommend jQuery's .ajax() method. Trying to do raw XHR is painful at best.
Here is how you'll want to structure your code:
Load the page.
User chooses an option.
An onChange listener fires off an AJAX request
The server receives and processes the request
The server sends back a JSON array of options for the dependent select
The client side AJAX sender gets the response back
The client updates the select to have the values from the JSON array.
Basically, HTTP is stateless, so once the page is loaded, it's done. You'll have to make successive requests to the server for dynamic data.

Answer 2

Use AJAX,
example
$.ajax({
type: "POST",
url: "yourpage.php",
data: "{}",
success: function(result) {
if(result == "true") {
// do stuff you need like populate your div
$("#one").html(result);
} else {
alert("error");
}
}
});

Answer 3

For this purpose you need to learn ajax.This is used to make a request without reloading the page.so that you can make a background call to mysql
your code will be something like that
$("#submitbutton").live("click",function(){
$.ajax({url:"yourfile"},data:{$(this).data}).done(function(data){
//this data will in json form so decode this and use this in div 2
var x =$.parseJSON(data);
$("#div2").html(x.val());
})
})
and "yourfile" is the main file which connect to server and make a database request

Answer 4

here is how I used an onchange method to stimulate a MYSQL query and have the Highchart display the result. The major problem was that the returned JSON array was a string that needed to be converted into an INT. The resultArray variable is then used in the data: portion of the highChart.
$(function(){
$("#awayTeam").change(function(){
$.ajax({
type: "POST",
data: "away=" + $("#awayRunner").val(),
dataType: "json",
url: "/getCharts.php",
success: function(response){
var arrayLength = response.length;
var resultArray = [];
var i = 0;
while(i<arrayLength){
resultArray[i] = parseInt(response[i]);
i++;
}
In the PHP code, the array must be returned as JSON like this
echo json_encode($awayRunner);