listing lastest 5 entries from database

r3mot3

i've been trying to create a script that will show the lastest five entries in a mysql database (minus the most recent one).

here's what i have so far:

<?php
$db = mysql_connect     all that connection stuff

$result = mysql_query("SELECT xsphoto FROM photos ORDER BY id DESC", $db);

echo "<h1 align=left style=margin:0>last 5</h1>\n";
echo "<br><p align=left style=margin:0>\n";
printf(mysql_result($result,0,"xsphoto"));
echo "<br></p>\n";

?>

here's the page from which it will be displayed
lostmachine.nu/15/photos.php

any and all help would be greatly appreciated.

Kerry_Kobashi

Sort it so that the first 5 are at the TOP of the list (by using ASC or DESC), then run a loop grabbing 5 records max. Make sure the 5 records are the FIRST FIVE that are fetched and not in REVERSE order.

Here's a rough sketch....

get mySQL database connection
$numRecords = mySql_numRecords();

if ($numRecords < 5)
{
do something;
return;
}
else
{
$count = 1;
while ($count <= 5) {
// fetch the record
mySQL_fetch();

   // format it
   echo recordSet["field1"];
   echo recordSet["field2"]; // etc.

   $count++;

}

You just need a loop and fetch statement to grab a record one at a time in the recordset.

Kerry Kobashi
Kobashi Computing

wilsonodk

// Use LIMIT

$result = mysql_query("SELECT xsphoto FROM photos ORDER BY id DESC LIMIT 1,5", $db);

The first number is the starting row, the second number is the number of rows.

HTH

Kerry_Kobashi

The most important thing is the SORT to get the top (or bottom) five. Doing LIMIT is smart and will reduce the returned recordset size to five maximum.

That is, up to FIVE xsphoto data columns will be returned instead of all records in the entire database.

Depending on what you do if there is less than five records is your choice. If you don't care if there is less than five, you can cut down my code above to simply do this:

mysql_connect("blah", "blah", "blah");
mysql_select_db("blah");
$result = mysql_query("select columns from table ORDER BY field DESC LIMIT 1, 5");
while ($row = mysql_fetch_row($result))
{
echo $row["columname1"];
//etc
}
mysql_close();

Kerry Kobashi
Kobashi Computing

r3mot3

is there any way that i can see the script in its entirety? i get what you're saying but i'm still having a little trouble putting it all together.

i don't need to see code regarding formatting its appearance on the page but i'd like what the functional script would appear as.

thanks for the help.

Kerry_Kobashi

// conection stuff
mysql_connect("serverIP here", "username here", "password here");

// select teh database
mysql_select_db("your database name here");

// query the database
$result = mysql_query("SELECT xsphoto FROM photos ORDER BY id DESC LIMIT 1,5", $db);

// fetch the rows... will be UP TO 5
while ($row = mysql_fetch_row($result))
{
// formatting here
// you only selected the xsphoto field from the database
echo $row['xsphoto'];
}

// close the database connection
mysql_close();

It doesn't get any more basic than that. If you feel you need additional help, I would suggest reading a basic tutorial on mySQL and PHP programming.

Kerry Kobashi
Kobashi Computing

r3mot3

thanks a lot. i really appreciate it.