What is the difference between these?

kappaluppa

Hi...

Can someone tell me the difference between:

$Row[body]

and

$body

I have an output page that will display data using the $Row[body] format. But if I change it to $body the data does not display.

I have a duplicate page that works with the $body format.

Go figure!

Thanks for your help,
Kathy

Mce

The first is an element in an array and the second is an unrelated variable

-Mce

cgraz

$Row["body"] is an array. Maybe from the results from a database query. something like

$Row = mysql_fetch_array($query);

would allow you to call up different parts of that array using $Row["field_name"]

Cgraz

kappaluppa

Thanks. Someone wrote the code for me, so I didn't realize that the $Row[var] referenced an array.

This has me in a quandry because I am not using arrays in my form at all (if I even understan arrays correctly!).

If I understand correctly, an array is when there is a choice from several items for one field, i.e., for the field Favorite Fruit you have a choice of apple, banana, kiwi, tomato. The apple, banana, kiwi and tomato being part of the array.

If my understanding is correct, then I don't know why I even have the $Row[ ] in the code at all, since I have no fields like that.

This is the code for the output page. No data shows up if I remove the $Row[ ].

Thanks for your help!

<?php
// Fetch the results from the database.
{
$sql = "select *, DATE_FORMAT(date, '%m-%d-%Y') AS date_format FROM news where news_id = '$news_id' ORDER by date DESC";

echo mysql_error();
$result = mysql_query($sql);
$Row = mysql_fetch_array($result);
echo mysql_error();

print ("\n");
print ("<TABLE BORDER=0 WIDTH=\"100%\" CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=2 ALIGN=CENTER>\n");
print ("<TR ALIGN=LEFT VALIGN=TOP>\n");
print ("<TD ALIGN=LEFT VALIGN=TOP>$Row[heading]</TD>\n");
print ("</TR>\n");
print ("<TR ALIGN=LEFT VALIGN=TOP>\n");
print ("<TD ALIGN=LEFT VALIGN=TOP>By: <a href=\"mailto:$Row[author_email]\">$Row[author_name]</a></TD>\n");
print ("</TR>\n");
print ("<TR ALIGN=LEFT VALIGN=TOP>\n");
print ("<TD ALIGN=LEFT VALIGN=TOP>$Row[date_format]</TD>\n");
print ("</TR>\n");
print ("<TR ALIGN=LEFT VALIGN=TOP>\n");
print ("<TD ALIGN=left VALIGN=TOP>\n");
print ("<TABLE BORDER=1 WIDTH=\"200\" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=right>\n");
print ("<TR ALIGN=LEFT VALIGN=TOP>\n");
print ("<TD ALIGN=LEFT VALIGN=TOP> <a href=\"http://www.coloradosenate.com/colorado.php?news_id=$news_id\"target=\"_blank\">Click here to print this article</a> \n");
print ("<a href=\"../emailafriend2.php3?heading=$Row[heading]&author=$Row[author_name]\" target=\"_blank\">Click here to refer this page to a friend </a></center>\n");
print ("<a href=\"mainlist4.php3?senator_search=$Row[author_name]\">More from this Author</a></TD>\n");
print ("</TR>\n");
print ("</TABLE>\n");
print ("$Row[body]\n");
print ("</TD>\n");
print ("</TR>\n");
}

mysql_close ($Link);
print ("</TABLE>\n");
?>

feldon23

First, whether you know it or not, you're using an array. 🙂
$Row is your array and heading, author_name, and body are elements of that array.

Arrays are great once you wrap your head around it. Just think of an Array as a blank job application form with all the spaces in it that you can write stuff.

Ok, a couple of points that don't solve your problem but are good PHP coding practice. First, may I suggest the heredoc structure...

Your code:

print ("<font face=\"Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif\" size=1>
<a href=\"../emailafriend2.php3?heading=$Row[heading]&author=$Row[author_name]\" target=\"_blank\">
Click here to refer this page to a friend </a></font></center>\n"); 
print ("<font face=\"Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif\" size=1>
<a href=\"mainlist4.php3?senator_search=$Row[author_name]\">
More from this Author</a></font></TD>\n"); 
print ("</TR>\n"); 
print ("</TABLE>\n"); 
print ("<font face=\"Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif\" size=2>$Row[body]</font>\n"); 
print ("</TD>\n"); 
print ("</TR>\n");

Heredoc:

$data = <<<QQQ
<font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size=1>
<a href="../emailafriend2.php3?heading={$Row[heading]}&author={$Row[author_name]}" target="_blank">
Click here to refer this page to a friend</a>
</center>
<a href="mainlist4.php3?senator_search={$Row[author_name]}">
More from this Author</a></font></TD>
</TR></TABLE>
<font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size=2>{$Row[body]}</font>
</TD></TR>
QQQ;

echo $data;

Second, it is not safe to use array field names without putting ' and ' or " and " around them.

It's advised to use $Row['body'] instead of $Row[body]