Passing Variables (JS --> PHP)

[code?]

Is there any way to pass variables from JS to PHP?
I thought of a couple ways myself...

1. Create a window with a url like this: http://www.site.com/JS2PHP.php?varlist=Name:JSinputname|Age:50|Exit:Yes, then use PHP to split the "|" then split the ":" and then after 1 second, automatically close the popup since the variables are passed... then what? Can you do this with PHP 5?

<?PHP
    // JS2PHP.php
    $VarList = $_GET["varlist"];
?>

Will that variable be accesible from this?

<?PHP
    // EchoVar.php
    echo $VarList;
?>

2. using this

<SCRIPT>
    var JSVAR = nameinput.value;
    document.write("<?PHP $JS_Var = \"" + JSVAR + "\"; ?>");
</SCRIPT>