i'm pretty new to wordpress and have some very complicated questions (to me anyway). i'm trying to get a page of posts, based on a specific category, to reload in the same area triggered by a drop down action. my current drop down option includes a go button, i'd prefer that submit button not be necessary. i've successfully set up some portions of this but i do not know where to even begin with the ajax code and how it relates to a drop down. can some please help? here is what i'm working with, should further explanation be necessary, i'll try. i have explored http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/advanced-ajax-page-loader/faq/ and obviously http://codex.wordpress.org/Function_Reference/wp_dropdown_categories
<div class="blog-filter"><div class="blog-title">RECIPES</div>
<div class="recipe_bg">
<div class="title_line"> </div>
<div class="filter">
<div><div id="all-categories">
<ul>Categories:<br />
<form action="<?php bloginfo('url'); ?>" method="get"><?php wp_dropdown_categories('orderby=name&order=ASC&show_count=1&hierarchical=1&show_option_all=Category Archives'); ?><br />
<input type="submit" name="submit" size="45" value=" Go " /></form>
</ul>
</div>
<p></div>
</div>
<div class="dyn_category_title"><span>APPETIZERS</span></div>
<div class="category_sort">
<ul>
<?php
$args=array(
'orderby' => 'name',
'order' => 'ASC',
'exclude' => '3,4,5,6,27',
);
$categories=get_categories($args);
foreach($categories as $category) {
echo '<li><a href="' . get_category_link( $category->term_id ) . '" title="' . sprintf( __( "Filter %s" ), $category->name ) . '" id="' . sprintf( __( "cat-%s" ),$category->term_id) . '" class="cat" rel="' .$category->term_id. '" ' . '>' . $category->name. '</a>';
echo '</li>'; }
?>
</ul>
<div class="actions">
<a href="#" class="filter_button disabled">Filter</a>
<!--<a href="#" class="cancel_button">Cancel</a>-->
<span class="expected"></span>
</div>
<script type="text/javascript" charset="utf-8">
swissmiss.toolbar();
swissmiss.filterCategories();
</script>
</div>
<?php
//query_posts('cat=appetizers&showposts=4');
query_posts( array ( 'appetizers' => 'appetizers', 'posts_per_page' => 4 ) );
while(have_posts()):
the_post();
?>
<div id="recipe_posts">
<div class="recipe_img"><img src="<?php echo catch_that_image() ?>"></div>
<div class="recipe_details" <?php post_class() ?> id='post-<?php the_ID()?>' >
<h2><?php the_title() ?></h2>
<div><?php the_excerpt(); ?></div>
<a href="<?php the_permalink()?>" rel="bookmark" title="<?php printf(__('Permanent Link to %s','gpp_i18n'),the_title_attribute('echo=0')); ?>"><div class="learn_more_btn"><span>LEARN MORE</span></div></a><br />
</div>
</div>
<?php
endwhile;
//Reset Query
wp_reset_query();
?>
</div>
</div>
</div>