ugh... anal-retentive php

[Anon]

hi. i have yet another problem ( sorry:/ ).

i have, in a script, the following function:

function applynewuser($newuser,$password) {

$check = mysql_query("select * from users where uname = '$newuser'");

if (mysql_num_rows($check) > 0) {
--do random things--
} else {
echo "<p>Username \"<i>$newuser</i>\" already in use. Please try another.</p>\n";
newuser();
}
}

the problem here is that even though there is no username in the database that has the same value as $newuser, i keep getting 're-routed' to the } else { ("user blah is already in use")... can anyone offer any suggestions? please?

[edwardsbc]

Well, I would suggest that if it thinks there are some rows, then print them out to see what is in them. (Insert some debug code after the query to print out the rows if > 0.) Perhaps the value your are passing into the function for $newuser isn't what you think it is, or perhaps there really is already a row with a matching uname.

[toma42]

your query may produce case sensitive results...be careful.

[Anon]

thus far, there is only one username in the DB, and it's 'admin' ... i've been trying to add users 'hello', 'hellohi', etc but to no avail.

and i dont know what type of 'debug code' to use for the mysql_num_rows($newuser).. perhaps you can suggest one/some.

thanks,
anjeela

[Anon]

Dear anjee, I kept testing and reproducing the same problem on my server. Then I take a second look at it and realize what you\'re trying to do. Simple Logic error, and I\'m surprised no one noticed this before me. mysql_num_rows returns the number of rows in the result set, and it returns 0 if there is no rows returned. Now, supposing there is a user in the database equal to $newuser, it will return 1 (or more than one depending on the number of users with that name in the database). Since 1 is indeed greater than 0, it will evaluate as \'true\' and it will pass through. If there is no user in the database equal to $newuser, it will return 0. and since 0 is not greater than 0, it will evaluate to false and it will branch off to the \'else\' part. You can simply change the sign on the evaluation to \'=\'. That way, if there is no $newuser in the database, it will --do random things--, and if there already is one, it will print out \"<p>Username \\"$newuser\\" already in use. Please try another.</p>\n\"
🙂

[kparker]

In briefer terms, you have the sense of the test reversed.

[Anon]

eeep. yes, that was it..
cowers in a corner

thank you much (and the others as well!)