How to return data from PHP to a jQuery ajax call

Question

I am posting some data using ajax. I want to manipulate that data and return to to the calling jQuery script.

Here is my jQuery:

$.ajax({   type: "POST",   url: "somescript.php",   datatype: "html",   data: dataString,   success: function() {     //do something;     } }); 

Here is my somescript.php on the server:

  <?php     //manipulate data     $output = some_function(); //function outputs a comma-separated string     return $output;   ?> 

Am I doing this correctly on the server side, and how do I access the return string when the ajax call completes?

Answer 1

I figured it out. Need to use echo in PHP instead of return.

<?php    $output = some_function();   echo $output; ?>  

And the jQ:

success: function(data) {   doSomething(data); } 

Answer 2

It's an argument passed to your success function:

$.ajax({   type: "POST",   url: "somescript.php",   datatype: "html",   data: dataString,   success: function(data) {     alert(data);     } }); 

The full signature is success(data, textStatus, XMLHttpRequest), but you can use just he first argument if it's a simple string coming back. As always, see the docs for a full explanation :)