Help with query!

[DoD]

This is my current query...

	$sql = 'SELECT t.*,
		 u.*,
		 p.*,
		 pt.*
	FROM ' . TOPICS_TABLE . ' t,
		' . USERS_TABLE . ' u,
		' . POSTS_TABLE . ' p,
		' . POSTS_TEXT_TABLE . ' pt
	WHERE t.topic_id = ' . $news_id . '
		AND u.user_id = t.topic_poster
		AND p.post_id = t.topic_first_post_id
		AND pt.post_id = t.topic_first_post_id
	LIMIT 1';

However i want to select another, v* (VOTE_DESC_TABLE)

for a given $news_id, t, u, p and pt all exist. However, v MAY exist. How can i say to this query if v exists, include it?

[ultraslacker]

SELECT t.,
u.,
p.,
pt.,
v.blah
FROM ' . TOPICS_TABLE . ' t,
' . USERS_TABLE . ' u,
' . POSTS_TABLE . ' p,
' . POSTS_TEXT_TABLE . ' pt
LEFT JOIN votes v ON (t.topic_id = v.topic_id)
WHERE t.topic_id = ' . $news_id . '
AND u.user_id = t.topic_poster
AND p.post_id = t.topic_first_post_id
AND pt.post_id = t.topic_first_post_id
LIMIT 1

Read the manual concerning OUTER JOINS for information.

[DoD]

Ah, i've given it a go, and it works nicely!!

It is a MySQL only query, or does it work across different databases?

[tomhath]

The LEFT JOIN is standard SQL. The only DB specific thing I see is the LIMIT keywork.