来自MYSQL的php下拉菜单，如何返回其他列值？

Question

I'm having a input form that asks for a location. The locations are stored in a mysql db and have an id (colomn: id and column: location).

I have a drop down menu that is generated from those records in the db:

    <select name="location">

    <?php                         
            $query="SELECT location FROM locations";
                $result=mysql_query($query) or die;

            while ($row=mysql_fetch_array($result)) {

            $location=$row['location'];

            echo "<option>$location</option>";
    ?>

    </select>

This all works. When the form is sumbitted, I obviously get a POST[location] for example "Belgium".

Let's say Belgium is the location in my db and has id 5, how can I return the ID as the POST variable from the dropdown box, instead of the location. Ofcourse I want the dropdown to show the locations, and not the ID's.

Thanks in advance!

Answer 1

Each option can take a value and show another string so use value="my_value" for each option inside the select tag

<select name="location">
    <?php                         
        $query="SELECT id, location FROM locations";
        $result=mysql_query($query);

        while ($row=mysql_fetch_array($result)) {
            echo "<option value=\"" . $row['id'] . "\">" . $row['location'] . "</option>";
        }
    ?>
</select>

now your POST['location'] will contain the db id for selected location