Convert String to Integer, used within a .replace()

Question

I have an integer that is being added dynamically into a form, the initial form is loaded with template variables.

The section I want to convert is a the template_parent, I am aware the .replace is responsible for returning the string but is it possible to convert this to an integer and have it retained within the innerHTML?

var number = parseInt(pVal);
var ts = 't' + new Date().getTime();
var template=document.getElementById('akSelectValueWrapTemplate'); 
var newRowEl=document.createElement('div');
newRowEl.innerHTML=template.innerHTML.replace(/template_clean/ig,ts).replace(/template_parent/ig,number).replace(/template/ig,val);
newRowEl.id="akSelectValueWrap_"+ts;
newRowEl.className='akSelectValueWrap';
$('#attributeValuesWrap').append(newRowEl); 

I thought I might be able to use php and intval() with the value, however when turned into an integer, it becomes 0

My php section starts,

if ($v == 'TEMPLATE') {
    $akSelectParentValue = 'TEMPLATE_PARENT';
    $akSelectValueID = 'TEMPLATE_CLEAN';
    $akSelectValue = 'TEMPLATE';
} else {
    if ($v->getSelectAttributeOptionTemporaryID() != false) {
        $akSelectValueID = $v->getSelectAttributeOptionTemporaryID();
    } else {
        $akSelectValueID = $v->getSelectAttributeOptionID();
    }
    $akSelectParentValue = $v->getSelectAttributeOptionParentValue();
    $akSelectValue = $v->getSelectAttributeOptionValue();
}

if($akSelectParentValue>0){
    //do stuff
}else{
    //come back as string when new,
    //var_dump($akSelectParentValue)
    //string(15) "135"
}

Edit: I have just realised that the string(15) is the string length of the original value not the Parent ID, can I delay this function of pass through the amended variable once the replacement has been done?.

Edit2: I am doing this within concrete 5 and have created a new attribute, that allows the choice of a parent category for each option added.

Answer 1

I believe I need to use Ajax here to post the html at a later date the string(15) indicates that the variable when processed is not an integer, but instead the string "TEMPLATE_PARENT"

I have not fixed it yet, however now I know where I am going wrong it should be a little easier to continue.