Can't set or retreive a $_GET variable

Question

I have a problem setting up and passing a variable in a search screen with paging..
I set up the variable like so
$townstr = sprintf("&townstr='%s'", $searchTown);              
This variable is then added to the URL string when I click on the 'Next page';
<a href="<?php printf("%s?pageNum_Get1=%d%s%s%s", $currentPage1, min($totalPages_Get1, $pageNum_Get1 + 1), $queryString_Get1,$tabstr,$townstr); ?>"> Next</a>   
The problem in, when the page is loaded again to show the next screen, the $_GET variable $_GET['townstr'] is always empty,
Any Ideas why it is not being set up.
I displayed it straight after the href code and can't access it, although it's definitely there, as I can see it as part of the URL when I move over the link when running the program.

Answer 1

That's a little confusing to me... once the recordset has been returned, the paging links should only be updating the display of the results that have already been returned.
When I've done things like this, an events list for an organization for example, I would set the query like
SELECT date, event, start_time
FROM events
WHERE some_field = some_variable
Then, I create a repeating table showing, say, only 5 records at a time... then I just go to the "recordset paging" button and insert whatever "Next/Last/First/Previous" links that I want... as I page through the pages, it doesn't "forget" the search criteria, because that has already been set by the query.
I realize I'm not answering your question, it just seems like what you're talking about shouldn't be happening. And the fact that it is seems to indicate something else may be going on.
By the way, my "NEXT" button (on the first page of results) URL looks like this (this was set automatically by DW):
mypage.php?pageNum_Recordset1=1&totalRows_Recordset1=24