What I have:

• I have a form with two normal text boxes and two disabled text boxes.
• The disabled elements receive their values from the enabled elements via jQuery.
• The values of the four elements are then posted via PHP

Note: My form is being used as part of acustom WordPress page.

The problem:

The disabled elements (i.e. values derived via jQuery) are not posting via PHP.

Visual:

My code:

PHP:

<?php
if(isset($_POST['submit'])) {
    echo 'a= '.$_POST["textbox_a"].'<br />';
    echo 'b= '.$_POST["textbox_b"].'<br />';
    echo 'c= '.$_POST["textbox_c"].'<br />';
    echo 'd= '.$_POST["textbox_d"].'<br />';
}
?>

jQuery:

<script type="text/javascript">

    jQuery(document).ready(function($) {
        // Code here will be executed on document ready. Use $ as normal.
        // alert("jQuery is working fine :-)");     

        $( "button" ).click(function( event ) {
            event.preventDefault();
            $('[name=textbox_c]').val($('[name=textbox_a]').val());
            $('[name=textbox_d]').val($('[name=textbox_b]').val());
        });             

    });

</script>

HTML:

<form method="post" action="<?php $_SERVER['PHP_SELF']; ?>">

    <input type="input" name="textbox_a" />
    <input type="input" name="textbox_b" />
    <button>[jQuery] Click me to transfer</button><br />

    <input type="input" name="textbox_c" disabled="disabled" />
    <input type="input" name="textbox_d" disabled="disabled" />
    <input type="submit" name="submit" value="[PHP] Click me to post" /><br />

</form>

My question:

Why isn’t PHP treating my jQuery derived values as regularly inputted values? Though I’ve never used Ajax, am I correct in assuming that Ajax is the solution? The examples I’ve seen for Ajax seem a little overkill for what I’m trying to achieve but I’m happy to delve into it if it’s the only way forward.