substr() in Database Queries

[brakemach1ne]

I'm trying to get all of the names in a database that being with a specific letter and then list the names.
For example, I'd like all of the names that being with the letter J. The substring function doesn't seem to work in a DB query.

$result=mysql_db_query($databasename,"select * from table where substr(name,0,1) = \"".$letter."\" order by name DESC");

Does anyone know of any way to do this.

thanxinadvance to anyone who can help a brother out

[brakemach1ne]

sorry, everywhere i type "being" i menat to type "begins"

[OyleSlyck]

Just use the sql select query and not php to do the work for you.

Your select statement should be:

"select * from table where name like \"$letter%\" order by name DESC"

//edited

I didn't explain the % sign tho. If you are just running a query (forget about php for now) your sql statement would be

"select * from table where name like "J%" order by name DESC" would return every record that starts with "J" in the field "name".

"select * from table where name like "Jas%" order by name DESC" would return every record that starts with "Jas" in the field "name".

"select * from table where name like "%J" order by name DESC" would return every record that ends with "J" in the field "name".

"select * from table where name like "%Jas%" order by name DESC" would return every record that contain "Jas" anywhere in the field "name".

Hope this makes sense.

[Lars_Berg]

brakemach1ne:

You are not using the correct sql syntax for the substring function

$result=mysql_db_query($databasename,"select * from table where substring(name from 1 for 1) = '" . $letter . "' order by name DESC"); 

[brakemach1ne]

thank you both.
this really helps out