get id of last row / cookies

[jonathen]

Hi,

I have a competition form that is one file which works as multiple pages (if (!isset($pageno)) etc)

Step one is the form fields. Step two notifies the submitter that the data is being dumped to db, and in the background the grabbed data is dumped to db. This page then refreshes to step 3 which thanks the competitor for taking part, and advises them they will be emailed a validation link. In the background I have PHP that emails them.

This all works fine, except for the fact that the email cannot pick up the $id and $name fields from the db to add to the email body, because I cannot figure how to get the correct entry from the db.

Do I do this using sone form of get last id? Will that work (i.e what if 2 ppl apply at same time) or would I be better off using sessions or cookies?

Any help appreciated.

[altexis]

do you use MySQL for your db?
if you do then all your answers are in the function mysql_insert_id()

otherwise you would have to use stored procedures to get the id

if you don't use MySQL and don't want to get involved with stored procedures let me know... i have in mind some nasty tricks 🙂

[jonathen]

I do indeed use MySQL, but how do I get the correct id to display in the validation link (validate.php?id=$id) ?

Thanks

[altexis]

after your insert sql statement you get the id with mysql_insert_id() ... example:

mysql_query("insert into mytable (field1, field2, ...) values (value1, value2, ...)") or die(mysql_error());
$id=mysql_insert_id();

from this point on you can use sessions or cookies or pass the id thru post or get variables

[jonathen]

Oh I sorted it out in the end earlier on, but thanks for the reply anyway 🙂