sorting variables

[drollz]

I am a beginner in the truest sense. I have built a database of basketball statistics. I am only storing the most NECESSARY information. Example, I am not storing "points scored" because points scored = (field goals made * 2) + three-pointers made + free throws made.

After doing a select query to get all of the data from the table, I create a variable called $ppg for points per game [((field goals made 2) + three-pointers made + free throws made) / games]. I use "( $row = mysql_fetch_array($result))" and "extract($row);" to put the data into variables. The problem is I can't figure out how to sort by a variable. In order to make my top 10 scorers list, I have to "cheat" by ordering by "((field goals made 2) + three-pointers made + free throws made) / games" in my sql query. I want to be able to order the data by the variable $ppg. I have pasted my code below. I would greatly appreciate any help; keep in mind that I am a true beginner with experience only in MS Excel!

$getdata = "select from ballers order by (((fgm 2) + tpm + ftm) / g) desc";
$result = mysql_query($getdata)
or die ("COuldn't execute query");
$j = 0;
echo "<b><u>Top 10 Points Per Game</b></u><br>";
while ( $row = mysql_fetch_array($result))
{
extract($row);
$j++;
$ppg=(("$fgm" 2) + "$ftm" + "$tpm" ) / "$g";
$f_ppg = sprintf("%01.1f",$ppg);
if ($j <= 10)
{
echo "$j. $firstname $lastname";
if ($team == "")
{
echo " ";
}
elseif ($team != "")
{
echo " ($team)";
}
echo " $f_ppg<br>";
}
elseif ($j >= 11)
{
echo "";
}
}

[shawon22]

ur code should work fine , i modified ur code a lil bit give it a try and let me know

$getdata = "select * from ballers order by (((fgm * 2) + tpm + ftm) / g) desc"; 
$result = mysql_query($getdata) 
or die ("COuldn't execute query"); 
$j = 0; 
echo "<b><u>Top 10 Points Per Game</b></u><br>"; 
while ( $row = mysql_fetch_array($result)) 
{ 
	$j++;
	$ppg = (($row['fgm'] * 2) + $row['ftm'] + $row['tmp']) / $row['g']; 
//	$ppg=(("$fgm" * 2) + "$ftm" + "$tpm" ) / "$g"; 
	$f_ppg = sprintf("%01.1f",$ppg); 
	if ($j <= 10) 
	{ 
		echo "$j. $firstname $lastname"; 
		if ($team == "") 
		{ 
			echo " *"; 
		} 
		elseif ($team != "") 
		{ 
			echo " ($team)"; 
		} 

	echo " $f_ppg<br>"; 
} 
else ($j >= 11) 
{ 
	echo ""; 
} 
}

[Weedpacket]

I'd point out that it is a bit redundant to calcualte the points per goal twice (once in the database, once in PHP), when you can do it once in the database and return it with everything else.

select *, (((fgm * 2) + tpm + ftm) / g) as ppg from ballers order by ppg desc

And then $row['ppg'] will be the database-calculated points per game.

I'd also replace "*" with "fgm, tpm, ftm, g", because those are the only fields you're using, and it's a waste of time and memory to request more than that from the database.

In fact, if the only reason you're selecting fgm, tpm, ftm, and g is so that you can calculate ppg, then you don't need to anymore, because you've already calculated ppg and so you only need to select that.

(I just noticed, you use "tpm" in the query and "tmp" in the program. One or the other is presumably a typo.)

[drollz]

thank the both of you very much! your help was very useful and much appreciated!