PHP & MySQL® Web Development All-in-One Desk Reference for Dummies®

2.1. Navigating Web Sites with Multiple Pages

Most Web sites consist of more than one Web page. A static multipage Web site provides a navigation system, consisting of links (which sometimes look like buttons) that users click to move around the Web site and find the desired page. A dynamic Web page can use links to move from one page to another, but it uses additional methods as well. The following methods are used in PHP scripts to move users from one page to another on a Web site:

• Echoing links: Links send users to a new page when the user clicks the link.

• Using forms: Forms move users from one page to another when the user clicks the submit button. When the user clicks the submit button, a PHP script is executed that displays a new Web page.

• Relocating users: PHP provides the header function that takes the user to a new page without needing an action from the user.

2.1.1. Echoing links

Using PHP, you can echo HTML links, which the user can then click to see various pages in your Web site. This is no different than echoing any other HTML code. Just send the HTML for the links, such as

echo "<a href='newpage.php'>New Page</a>";

2.1.2. Using forms

You can also use an HTML form to display another page. The form tag specifies a script that runs when the user clicks the submit button. The script can display a new Web page. (Displaying and processing forms is described in detail in Chapter 1 in this minibook.)

You can also use a form to move a user to a new page without collecting ...