SET Datatype - Extract Exact String?

[4rxsid]

Hi all,

I've got some data stored as MySQL "SET" datatype...column name Extras.
The possible values as defined by the datatype are:
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, through 19.

Here's my code to display some results from an (*) all query on my test db. Results are in an array with num_rows = $cntr.

$arrayExtras = array ("Extra Desc 1",
                      "Extra Desc2",
                      "Extra Desc 3",
                      "Extra Desc 4",
                      "Extra Desc 5",
                      .... continues to 19
                      "Extra Desc 19");

for ($x=0;$x<$cntr;$x++) {
    echo "$var1[$x]<br>";
    echo "$var2[$x]<br>";
    echo "$var3[$x]<br>";
    echo "$var4[$x]<br>";
    $showExtras = "";
    for ($b=0;$b<count($arrayExtras);$b++) {
        if (preg_match("/$b/", "$extras[$x]")) {
            if ($showExtras != "") {
                $showExtras .= ", ";
            }
            $showExtras .= "$arrayExtras[$b]";
        }
    }
    echo "<b>Extras:</b> &nbsp;$showExtras<br>";
}

It works for single digit members of the SET....such as if the row contains 2,4,9 in the database....it will be displayed as Extras Desc 2, Extras Desc 4, Extras Desc 9.

The problem is, if a row contains "19" for the SET type column on Extras....the code above will display Extras Desc 1, Extras Desc 9, Extras Desc 19. I want it to only display the exact match...Extras Desc 19.

Any ideas on how to get the exact match for each inumeration..if it's there??

Thanks!

[4rxsid]

ok...I got it to work properly, but it's very ugly code:

$arrayExtras = array ("Extra Desc 1",
                      "Extra Desc2",
                      "Extra Desc 3",
                      "Extra Desc 4",
                      "Extra Desc 5",
                      .... continues to 19
                      "Extra Desc 19");

for ($x=0;$x<$cntr;$x++) {
    echo "$var1[$x]<br>";
    echo "$var2[$x]<br>";
    echo "$var3[$x]<br>";
    echo "$var4[$x]<br>";

$showExtras = "";
if (strstr("$extras[$x]", ",")) {
    $setElements = preg_split('/,/', $extras[$x]);
    for ($b=0;$b<count($arrayExtras);$b++) {
        foreach ($setElements as $extrasNum) {
            if ($b == $extrasNum) {
                if ($showExtras != "") {
                   $showExtras .= ", ";
               }
            $showExtras .= "$arrayExtras[$b]";
            }
        }
    }  
} else {
    for ($b=0;$b<count($arrayExtras);$b++) {
        if ($b == $extras[$x]) {
            $showExtras = $arrayExtras[$b];
        }
    }
}
}

I'm begining to wonder if I should just store the 'Extras Desc 1 through Extras Desc 19' (Actual Extras Descriptions...up to 25 Varchars each) in the database set, instead of keeping digits like 1 through 19 in order to try to save on MySQL space usage, row size usage, etc. (trying to keep db overhead/storage down)...then trying to reference the digits to their full descriptions in the php code.

DB people...should I just store the descriptions (19 set's of characters up to 25 length) in the set...or should I stick to using the smaller digits?

Or PHP people...is there a more efficient way to accomplish what I have done above? (again, the code works as needed...but looks inefficient).

B.T.W. I anticipate this database to grow to over 500,000 records, and expect roughly 1,000 users a day doing these queries.

Thanks in advance!