//Start of form
 
 echo "<form action=\"cat.php\" method=\"post\">\n";
 
	$query="SELECT category_id, category_name
	FROM category ";
	// start to read database values
	$result = mysql_query ($query);
	echo "<select name=category_id value=''><option> &nbsp; Select your category &nbsp; </option>";// printing the list box select command
 
		while($nt=mysql_fetch_array($result))/* Option values are added by looping through the array */
			{		
 				echo "<option value=$nt[category_id]>&nbsp; $nt[category_name]</option>";//Array or records stored in $nt
 
			}
 
			echo "</select>";// Closing of list box */
			echo "<br/>";
			$category_id=$nt['category_id'];
			$category_id=$_GET['category_id'];
 
 			$category_id=2;// here I default the value and the db produces the correct result
 
			//$query="SELECT DISTINCT manufacturer_name, category_id
			//FROM manufacturer
			//";
			$query="SELECT DISTINCT manufacturer.manufacturer_name
			FROM category as category
			JOIN vehicles as vehicles on category.category_ID = vehicles.FK_category_ID
			JOIN products as products on products.products_id = vehicles.FK_products_ID
			JOIN manufacturer as manufacturer on manufacturer.manufacturer_ID = vehicles.FK_manufacturer_ID 
			WHERE vehicles.FK_category_ID = '$category_id' ";
 
 
 
			// start to read database values
			$result = mysql_query ($query);
			echo "<select name=manufacturer_name value=''><option> &nbsp; Select your category &nbsp; </option>";
 
 
			// printing the list box select command
 
		while($nt=mysql_fetch_array($result))
			{		//Array or records stored in $nt
 			  echo "<option value=$nt[manufacturer_id]>&nbsp; $nt[manufacturer_name]</option>";
 
			/* Option values are added by looping through the array */
 
			}
 
					echo "</select>";// Closing of list box */
 
//Should this be capturing data from the highlighted red code?
 
 echo"<input type=\"hidden\" name=\"make\" value=\"$make\">";// this value is know in the page
// echo"<input type=\"hidden\" name=\"category_id\" value=\"$category_id\">";// this value is know in the page
  echo "<br/>";
  echo "<br/>";
  echo"&nbsp; &nbsp; <input type=\"submit\" value=\"Search\">\n";
  echo"</form>";

// ---------- BUILD FIRST SELECT LIST: CATEGORIES ---------- //
// get categories from db
$query="SELECT category_id, category_name FROM category ";
$result = mysql_query ($query);
 
// open the form
echo "<form action=\"cat.php\" method=\"post\">\n";
 
// build the select list 
echo "<select name=category_id value=''><option> &nbsp; Select your category &nbsp; </option>";// printing the list box select command
while($nt=mysql_fetch_array($result))/* Option values are added by looping through the array */
	{
		echo "<option value=$nt[category_id]>&nbsp; $nt[category_name]</option>";//Array or records stored in $nt
	}
echo "</select>";
echo "<br/>";
 
// ---------- BUILD SECOND SELECT LIST: MANUFACTURERS ---------- //
 
// initialize some values
$category_id = $nt['category_id'];
$category_id = $_GET['category_id'];
$category_id = 2;  // here I default the value and the db produces the correct result
 
// set up the SQL query
$query="SELECT DISTINCT manufacturer.manufacturer_name
FROM category as category
JOIN vehicles as vehicles on category.category_ID = vehicles.FK_category_ID
JOIN products as products on products.products_id = vehicles.FK_products_ID
JOIN manufacturer as manufacturer on manufacturer.manufacturer_ID = vehicles.FK_manufacturer_ID 
WHERE vehicles.FK_category_ID = '$category_id' ";
 
// query the database 
$result = mysql_query ($query);
 
// set up the next select list.
echo "<select name=manufacturer_name value=''><option> &nbsp; Select your category &nbsp; </option>";
 
// printing the list box select command
 
while($nt=mysql_fetch_array($result))
	{		//Array or records stored in $nt
		echo "<option value=$nt[manufacturer_id]>&nbsp; $nt[manufacturer_name]</option>";
 
	/* Option values are added by looping through the array */
 
	}
 
				echo "</select>";// Closing of list box */
 
//Should this be capturing data from the highlighted red code?
 
echo"<input type=\"hidden\" name=\"make\" value=\"$make\">";// this value is know in the page
// echo"<input type=\"hidden\" name=\"category_id\" value=\"$category_id\">";// this value is know in the page
echo "<br/>";
echo "<br/>";
echo"&nbsp; &nbsp; <input type=\"submit\" value=\"Search\">\n";
echo"</form>";