post data to two columns

webblynx

hi. i have an php page that pulls information from a mysql database for an address book. when the information is posted to the php page, it shows up all in one long column. i would like to be able to put two results in one row, and then have the next results wrap to a new row. the code is as follows:

$result = mysql_query("SELECT * FROM $table ORDER BY firstname",$db);
echo "<table cellpadding=2 cellspacing=1 border=0>";

$alternate = "2";
while ($row = mysql_fetch_array($result)) {
$id = $row["id"];
$firstname = $row["firstname"];
$lastname = $row["lastname"];

if ($alternate == "1") {
$color = "#ffffff";
$alternate = "2";
}
else {
$color = "#f2f2f2";
$alternate = "1";
}
echo "<tr bgcolor=$color><td><a href='view.php?id=$id'>$firstname $lastname</a></td>";
}
echo "</table>";

I currently have 75 records in the database, all which post in one long column on my php page. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

eternalprophet

Try this thread

http://www.phpbuilder.com/board/showthread.php?threadid=10232705

Towards the bottom

kevinsequeira

echo "<tr bgcolor=$color><td><a href='view.php?id=$id'>$firstname $lastname</a></td>";

close </tr> missing in the above line
should be
echo "<tr bgcolor=$color><td><a href='view.php?id=$id'>$firstname $lastname</a></td></tr>";
reg
kevin

webblynx

closing the </tr> tag works great. the only thing that is wrong now is that it is posting the same information twice in two columns:

name1 name1
name2 name2
name3 name3
name4.......

kevinsequeira

instead of
echo "<tr bgcolor=$color><td><a href='view.php?id=$id'>$firstname $lastname</a></td>";

replace with this :

echo "<tr bgcolor=$color>";
echo "<td><a href='view.php?id=$id'>$firstname $lastname</a></td>";
if($row = mysql_fetch_array($result))
echo "<td><a href='view.php?id=$id'>$firstname $lastname</a></td>";
else
echo "<td>&nbsp;</td>";				
echo "</tr>";

reg
kevin

webblynx

almost!

the information is posted like this:

joe smith joe smith
bob palmer bob palmer
jen johnson jen johnson
mike hunt

with one record in two separate columns, except for the last record which shows up correctly, leaving a blank

<td> </td> after $firstname $lastname

any other suggestions?

i appreciate everyone's help.

kevinsequeira

DAMN, my mistake, i forgot to add these lines the second time ...

$firstname = $row["firstname"];
$lastname = $row["lastname"];

here is the updated code :

echo "<tr bgcolor=$color>";

echo "<td><a href='view.php?id=$id'>$firstname $lastname</a></td>";

if($row = mysql_fetch_array($result))

$firstname = $row["firstname"];
$lastname = $row["lastname"];

echo "<td><a href='view.php?id=$id'>$firstname $lastname</a></td>";

else

echo "<td> </td>";

echo "</tr>"