Loop 4 last records

[archer_coal]

New to PHP,
i'm having trouble retrieving the last 4 records from mysql
and keep in mind that i want to assign the results to variables rather than dump a loop into a table

(ie result1 = a, result2 = b, etc..)

// the DESC grabs the last row from the table
$SQL = "SELECT * FROM $table ORDER by ID DESC ";

// Query the Database
$result = @($SQL) or die("could not complete your query");

// $result is now an array and contains all rows in DESC order?
// now im not sure wich loop is better here?

while($row = @mysql_fetch_array($result))
// the above returns all rows so thats no good

$row = @mysql_fetch_array($result);
for ($i=0; $i<4; $i++) {
$name = $row["rec_name"];
$fid = $row["rec_id"];

}

and the above here just repeats rec_name and rec_id 4 times
so that's no good either i know i need a combination of 
these but i cant seem to figure it out.

Thanks for your help

[swjohnson]

to give you a clue.

Are only the last four records looping... I mean are they the only records showing up or does it create an endless loop at the end of your sort?

[archer_coal]

No, im just not getting the desired results.
let me add to my previous question

// the DESC grabs the last row from the table
$SQL = "SELECT * FROM $table ORDER by ID DESC ";

// Query the Database
$result = @($SQL) or die("could not complete your query");

// $result is now an array and contains all rows in DESC order?

up to this point works just fine, now i want to assign the last 4 records to variables.

the field names in the table are rec_ID and rec_name

the result i want is somthing like

rec_name1 = a;
rec_name2 = b;
rec_name3 = c;
rec_name4 = d;

but i dont know how to code that correctly.
do i need to make the result of rec_name an array?
like $var_rec_name() = $result
??

[swjohnson]

But, let's see if I can restate your problem in a way I can understand.

You have an array with 4 records that contain 2 fields each. (rec_id,rec_name) and you want to load these into variables.

One at a time? Or multiple variables so you can view them all at once?

Either way, I think a solution like this will work...

Oh, before I forget, take the @ from in front of your sql commands and you should begin getting error messages. I think.

Let's try this...

Your array looks like this...

$arraysample=("rec_id0" +>"a", "rec_id1" +>"b", "rec_id2" +>"c", "rec_id3" +>"d",);

<?
// load the array - you already have this done.

// Print $arraysample
echo "Sample Array:<BR>";
while(list($rec_id,$value) = each($arraysample)
{
echo "$rec_id : $value <BR>";
}

// Print values in $arraysample
$values = array_values($arraysample);

echo "<BR>Values From Your Array:<BR>";
while (list($rec_id,$value) = each($value))
{
echo $rec_id : $value<br>";
}
?>

This should give you output similar to what you want.

And, if not, then at least you have a place to start.

[archer_coal]

I see what you're saying
i think my explanation was backwards (much like all my thinking)

i dont want to output the data
i want to save it in variables

Here is what was backwards
rec_name1 = $a;

really what i want is
$a = rec_name1;

where "a" is not a value but a variable to hold the value of rec_name1

then later in the html i can use a <?= $a ?>

what im shooting for here is done all the time,
i want to have on my webpage, a table of the last 4 posts on my phpbb forum that link to the forum.

there may even be a script out there but im trying to learn PHP too 😃

and BTW Thanks for your help so far swjohnson

[archer_coal]

for anyone monitoring this thread, here is a solution

$sql = "SELECT * FROM $table;";
$result = mysql_db_query($database,$sql);

if (!$result || mysql_num_rows($result) < 1) {
print mysql_error() . ' ERROR - SELECT note query failed! ';
}

// get result into array
$col=0;
$rows=mysql_num_rows($result);
for ($i=0; $i<4; $i++) {
$arr[$i]=mysql_result($result,$i,$col);
// save the values to variables
$var0 = $arr[0];
$var1 = $arr[1];
$var2 = $arr[2];
$var3 = $arr[3];
// now you can use <?= $var0 ?> anywhere on the html you like
// or output the entire set to a table as below

}

$i=0;
// break array over rows
print '<table border=1>';
while($i <= count($arr)) {
// row of five items
print '<tr>';
for($r=1;$r<=5;$r++) {
print '<td>'. $arr[$i] .'</td>';
$i++;
}
print '</tr>';
}
print '</table>';

print "$var0";

Thanks for the help in getting this figured out

[swjohnson]

A similar solution came to me in my sleep last night. but I was dreaming of making the variable names dynamic so you could load in more than just the last four records.

I guess that is your next step, huh?

Glad I could help - little as it was - and very glad you managed to wrap your mind around the solution.

Makes you feel 10 feet tall, doesn't it?

[archer_coal]

Yea i was actually wrestling with that problem for a couple days part time but somtimes (usually after a good sleep) it's right there like magic.

Thanks again