Hold variables in php for submit - php

Question

I have several html textareas on my site. Each has a submit button. When a user types in one of the textareas i need to know which textarea this is. These textareas are each assigned a number taken from a mysql database. I can get the numbers out of the database, but how can I make it so that when a user types in a textarea and clicks submit the submit form knows which textarea this is. Please ask to clarify if needed. I tried my best to explain the problem. thanks.
p.s. the submit button just performs a mysql set values query. I'm using php on my site.
for example: a textarea is assigned '3.' When i submit this form i need 3 to be sent into my mysql set values query.

Answer 1

Use a hidden input to store a reference for each form
<input type="hidden" name="database_reference" value="<?php echo $dbId; ?>" />
Then when you submit the form $_POST['database_reference'] gives you the database id.

Answer 2

<input type="hidden" value="5" name="which_one" />
so for example
<form method="post" action="">
<textearea name="text"></textarea>
<input type="hidden" value="1" name="which_one" />
<input type="button" />
</form>
<form method="post" action="">
<textearea name="text"></textarea>
<input type="hidden" value="2" name="which_one" />
<input type="button" />
</form>
<form method="post" action="">
<textearea name="text"></textarea>
<input type="hidden" value="3" name="which_one" />
<input type="button" />
</form>
<form method="post" action="">
<textearea name="text"></textarea>
<input type="hidden" value="4" name="which_one" />
<input type="button" />
</form>
<form method="post" action="">
<textearea name="text"></textarea>
<input type="hidden" value="5" name="which_one" />
<input type="button" />
</form>
UPDATE:
<?php
if ($_POST){
include("db_connection.php");
mysql_query("UPDATE table SET column = '".mysql_real_escape_string($_POST['text'])."' WHERE value = ".intval($_POST['value']));
echo "done";
}
?>
<form method="post" action="">
<textearea name="text"></textarea>
<input type="hidden" value="1" name="which_one" />
<input type="button" />
</form>
<form method="post" action="">
<textearea name="text"></textarea>
<input type="hidden" value="2" name="which_one" />
<input type="button" />
</form>
<form method="post" action="">
<textearea name="text"></textarea>
<input type="hidden" value="3" name="which_one" />
<input type="button" />
</form>
<form method="post" action="">
<textearea name="text"></textarea>
<input type="hidden" value="4" name="which_one" />
<input type="button" />
</form>
<form method="post" action="">
<textearea name="text"></textarea>
<input type="hidden" value="5" name="which_one" />
<input type="button" />
</form>

Answer 3

Assuming you have multiple <form></form> tags set up, one for each <textarea>, I would just add a hidden input field in each form. For example:
<form>
<textarea />
<input type="hidden" value="1" />
<input type="submit" />
</form>
<form>
<textarea />
<input type="hidden" value="2" />
<input type="submit" />
</form>
You can flesh it out from there, but you get the idea.