[jQuery] Form Validation JQuery & $_POST issues

[jQuery] Form Validation JQuery & $_POST issues


I am not a javascript or Ajax programmer, so JQuery is new to me. I
have taken over the completion of a website for a friend and have hit
a strange occurance.
The site designer utilized CodeIgniter framework and it appears well
wriiten and well commented.
Here's the Issue:
Thers a form in a php file that the user uses to pick clothing pieces
from 4 drop downs. Once a piece is chosen,the shitrt, the drawing is
immediately updated into a sketch box with the chosen article. The
next piece chosen is added to the sketch until all required pieces
create an outfit. Since this is real time updates, I am assuming it
is Ajax.
Once the user is done, they submit the form clicking the "Save" or
"Order" button which calls a function in another library. If all
required choices are not met, it relay a error message to the user.
I assume this is all done in JQuery.
I need to determine which submit button was hit.
When I view the POST array, all the choices are there except the
submit button. If I comment out the inclusion of Jquery, the submit
button shows up in the POST; however the sketch drawing do not work,
nor does the form validation.
Is there a way to fix this?
Does JQuery strip out some of the POST array either directly or
indirectly?
Does anyone have a workaround or ideas.
As I said, I am a JS noob. I thank you all in advance for any help you
can provide.
John