Getting the "last" item in a list

[jamesh]

A quick question:

I have a database that I am accessing to assign a call number to a call (for, say, a support help desk). I have a MySQL db and a table set up there called "tickets". The "ticket_no" field in that table is set up as an int, and auto_increment. What I want to do in my app is to assign a ticket_no based on the last ticket_no plus one.

From what I can see, I should be able to use "select last_insert_id()" to do this, but when I test it, the db gets updated, but the value returned says "Resource #2". ??

Any pointers or better suggestions?

Thanks--

Jim

[Anon]

The last_insert_id() will hold the value of what the auto_increment field just created. So if you use last_insert_id() after you do an insert into your tickets table you should get a record back with the number that was just inserted. You don't want to use this to now insert into the table you just want to use it to get the value back if you need to use it right after you insert it, like to make a child record that is linked to this table.

You might want to look at this function instead:

mysql_insert_id()
http://www.php.net/manual/en/function.mysql-insert-id.php

It basically does the select last_insert_id() for you and gives you back a nice clean integer to work with, instead of a mysql record set.

[amcgrath]

umm, if its default value is an auto number, then it'll od it for ya when you insert the row..... just don't assign a value to it....

[jamesh]

Rob:

That was it! Using the mysql_insert_id() did the trick. Working beautifully now.

Thanks!!

       --Jim