insert - hours of time - help

Help, I have a data input form which collects information from users, and then transmits to a page for user to view. How do I pass the input date into the table. Have tried the following: input.php3 <form name='frmAttyApp' method=post action="app.php3"> Please enter your last name (<i>required</i>): <input name="last_name" type="text"> <br> </form> This then displays to user through app.php3: <?php echo ( "<b>Thank You for submitting the following:</b><br>Please double check your answers.<br>Please click back and fix any errors prior to submitting." . NL . NL . // new line constant. "Last Name: $last_name" . NL ) <form method=post action="attydb.phtml"> <?php "$last_name, </form> This then hits the attdb.phtml and phtml does connect to the database as follows: --attydb.phtml-- <?php mysql_connect(localhost, test); @mysql_select_db(trial) or die("Unable to select database"); $query="INSERT INTO table values('$last_name)"; $result=mysql_query($query); mysql_close(); ?> From my logs, I am connecting fine to the database. But the information in the last_name is not being passed to the database. The app.php3 displays only as follows when brought into the browser: Last Name: Bragg<br> How do I retain the $last_name information so it passes to the database and at the same time displays in the browser so user can be sure entry is correct? Or, how do i pass the input to the database in the first place? Thanx