function lookup() { $('chatter').innerHTML += "<p class='info'>Setting up AJAX request to personEmail.php</p>"; person = document.getElementById("personId").value.toUpperCase(); $('chatter').innerHTML += "<p class='info'>Looking up person=" + person; + "</p>"; new Ajax.Request("../php/personEmail.php", { parameters: '&value=' + person, onComplete: function(req) { $('chatter').innerHTML += "<p class='info'>AJAX call successful</p>"; $('response').innerHTML = req.responseText; }, onFailure: function(req) { $('chatter').innerHTML += "<p class='error'>AJAX call failed</p>"; $('response').innerHTML = "Apparently the AJAX request failed " + req.responseText; } }) }