Help using php with a mysql query

[Anon]

I am setting up a username and password database and need to check whether a username is already taken.

I can use the following query to test if the username ben is taken:
$query = "select Username from Users where Username like 'Ben'"

but how do i check whether I got a result or not?

Thanx,

Ben Graves

[Anon]

$query="select Username from Users where Username like 'Ben'";

$result=mysql_query($query)

if(mysql_num_rows($result)>0) //<--NOTE
{ ...'Ben' is already in use ...
}

Of course, better is to get MySQL to do the counting...

$query="select count(username) as taken from Users where username like 'Ben'";
$result=mysql_query($query);
$taken=mysql_result($result,'taken');

...and $taken will be the number of Usernames in Users that are like 'Ben'.

[Anon]

I like the second idea but get the following error message,

Warning: 0 is not a MySQL result index in /home/wrathof/public_html/interactive/board/register.php on line 25

Any ideas?

[Anon]

Well, apart from the fact that I mistyped the result statement (it should've been $taken=mysql_result($result,0,'taken')😉 I can't think of anything off hand.

[Anon]

It's easy... try this...

$result = mysql_query("SELECT * FROM pworddb WHERE username = '$username';");

if(mysql_num_rows($result)) {

// if this is true it means that there is a user in the db with the same username as the new user has requested

echo "Username is already in use";

} else {

// register the user

}

I know for a fact that works because Iv'e used it several times! I don't know what Hayley was on about with the > 0 bit 😛

Anyway hope it helps.
Regards
Stezz