multiple tables, multiple rows for one attribute?

blitzwing

I have three tables joined.

users
cars
images

For the page I'm putting together now, one line of data is fine from the first two tables. But for the images table, there's multiple returns. So the images table is the many in a one:many relationship with the cars table. So how can I output multiple lines from the images table, and stick to only one of the both. Hope this makes sense.

For a little picture of what I'm talking about:

users

data

cars

data

images

data1
data2
data3

here's my query statement:

$result = mysql_query("SELECT * FROM users LEFT JOIN
 cars ON users.user_id= cars.users_user_id LEFT JOIN images ON
 cars.car_id=images.cars_car_id WHERE cars.users_user_id 
= '$car_ref'");

Thanks in advance.

blitzwing

Thinking about it overnight, I thought maybe I should do two querys? Can that be done, and is that bad form?

Sxooter

There are two fields of thought, one is to toss the queries at the database that give you the data in a format that's almost ready to display, then you just loop through them, the other is to use one big query that gets you all the data, but with repeats in it, and then process that with PHP.

I tend towards the second. i.e. if I get a table returning data like:

group | name

1 | Scott
1 | Dan
1 | Steve
2 | Mark
2 | Jan
2 | Laurie

Then I'd just loop through the whole thing, checking to see if the group had changed and print a new heading if it had.

blitzwing

Thanks. For my simple mind right now, I just used the first option. I guess down the road I'll sort out how to do it the second way. But for now it seems to be working.