Increase value by 1 on button click

Question

I am trying to make this code increase the value of $clicks by 1 every time I click the button, but I cannot seem to get it working. Any inputs?

<form action="" method="post">
<input type="submit" name="click_button" value="Click..">
</form>
<?php
$clicks = 0;
echo $clicks;

if (isset($_POST['click_button'])) {
    $clicks = $clicks + (1);
}

Answer 1

It's because as soon as the page get's reloaded, $clicks goes away. You need to store $clicks in the $_SESSION superglobal. Then, the value of $clicks won't go away every time the page is reloaded.

<form action="" method="post">
<input type="submit" name="click_button" value="Click..">
</form>
<?php
session_start();

if (isset($_POST['click_button'])) {
    $_SESSION['clicks'] += 1 ;
} else {
    $_SESSION['clicks'] = 0;
}

echo($_SESSION['clicks']);

NOTE: don't forget to include session_start(); at the very beginning of the script. Otherwise, the script won't have access to $_SESSION

Answer 2

Actually, PHP isn’t exactly working like JavaScript. After you press a button, the value is posted to the PHP Web Server, which increments the value. BUT then, after that, the $_POST[]; value remains the same, even after you let go of the button. So, if you clicked it once, even if you clicked it again, the $_POST[]; value just remains the same, therefore not making any change to the clicks; variable after incrementing it once. The only way is to use JavaScript and find a way to connect it to your code.

P.S. There is nothing wrong with that form action=“” part of your code. Everything is right with your HTML. You just need to convert the PHP code to JavaScript.