Mouseover preview popup that displays info from a database

[Artie_J]

So I want the user to hover the mouse cursor over a link, then have a popup window, about 400 X 400 maybe, that can dynamically display some text pulled from a MYSQL database. Click the popup window or the original link to go to a page that displays more information.
This is not for the web, it is a LAN with a computer that is running Apache server and PHP.
It must work for Firefox browser.
I'm just trying to get a handle on what technologies are involved, (Javascript? CSS?) and would appreciate a "oh, you can do it with so and so" description, not code examples at this point.
I'm trying to figure out where to start. Thanks!

[futureX]

What you are proposing is quite simple with PHP, grabing mysql information is very easy especially if you don't have to worry about security with it benig on a LAN.

The pop up window next to the mouse will be javascript but the rest should be PHP...

When you say dynamically I assume you mean there is some other program that is updating the database and you want to be able to see that data as it updates? If so it should all be quite simple.

[morehawes]

I'm just trying to get a handle on what technologies are involved

In that case definitely look into jQuery - there are so many plugins available there might already be something that comes close to what you are after.

[Artie_J]

FutureX, the info grabbed from the database actually doesn't get updated by users, so it's not really dynamic at all, wrong word I guess.

Haven't heard of jQuery, I'll check it out, thanks.

[Artie_J]

Just a hollaback...
I made it work with both Javascript and CSS, and preferred the CSS method; much quicker popup, using a div instead of a clunky window.
Easier than I thought it would be, too.