通过HTML链接调用PHP函数（无表格）

Question

I have a PHP Function that I would like to integrate into my (existing) web page. Further, I would like it to execute when the user clicks a link on the page. The function needs to accept the text of the link as an input argument.

Everything I've researched for sending data to a PHP script seems to involve using forms to obtain user input. The page needs to accept no user input, just send the link-text to the function and execute that function.

So I guess the question is two-part. First, how to execute a PHP script on link click. And second, how to pass page information to this function without the use of forms. I am open to the use of other technologies such as AJAX or JavaScript if necessary.

EDIT:: Specifically what I am trying to do. I have an HTML output representing documentation of some source code. On this output is a series of links (referring to code constructs in the source code) that, upon being clicked, will call some python function installed on the web server (which leads me to think it needs called via PHP). The python function, however, needs the name present on the link as an input argument.

Is there some sort of interaction I could achieve by having JavaScript gather the input and call the PHP function?

Sorry for the vagueness, I am INCREDIBLY new to web development. If anything is unclear let me know.

Answer 1

You will need to use AJAX to accomplish this without leaving the page. Here is an example using jQuery and AJAX (this assumes you have already included the jQuery library):

First File:

<script language="javascript">

$(function(){
    $('#mylink').click(function(){
        $.get('/ajax/someurl', {linkText: $(this).text()}, function(resp){
           // handle response here
        }, 'json');
    });

});

</script>

<a href="#" id="mylink">This text will be passed along</a>

PHP File:

$text = $_REQUEST['linkText'];
// do something with $text here