[Resolved] how to print query results on specified places?

[denislav]

Hi,

I'm looking for a way to control the way the results of a query are printed on the screen. I have a query that chooses a random row and LIMIT 3. So I will always have 3 resuts with diferent values. I have 3 places on the page where I'd like the values printed. Something like echo row1 here, echo row2 there and so on. Does anyone have an idea how this can be written?🙂

[nemonoman]

check out cascading style sheets location functions: top, left; relative, absolute, etc.

check this:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/workshop/samples/author/css/overview/interactivemeasurement.htm

[denislav]

I don't have problems with the design/css/html part of the work. I am confused with the php/mysql part. In the moment i have a query that gets the values and prints them one after another.

while ($row = mysql_fetch_array ($result)){
    echo "" . $row['views'] . "";
     }

The results are limited to 3 and...I don't know how can I call the 3 returned rows separately. So that I can print each row in a different cell for instance.
It's for a classified ads site where on top of each page we have 3 featured items (like advertising space). And I will write something like

if (nobody owns the ad space) { 
echo a random row; 
} elseif (somebody owns it) {
echo his item;
}

And that thing repeats for each ad space. I don't want to make 3 querys because in a large database that can take time. I'd like to have one query which returns row1 row2 and row3 and call them separately. I hope I'm clear enough, and thanks to everyone who has the patience to read the thread and try to help!

[TheDefender]

Three separate while loops strategically placed maybe?!?

WHILE ($row = mysql_fetch_array ($result)){ 
  FOR($i = 0; $i < 1; $i++){
    echo "" . $row['views'] . ""; 
  }
}

WHILE ($row = mysql_fetch_array ($result)){ 
  FOR($i = 1; $i < 2; $i++){
    echo "" . $row['views'] . ""; 
  }
}

WHILE ($row = mysql_fetch_array ($result)){ 
  FOR($i = 2; $i < 3; $i++){
    echo "" . $row['views'] . ""; 
  }
}

EDIT - OK, doing some checking around, and this will not work, so refer to my next post and look into the mysql_data_seek() and mysql_fetch_row() functions. - ENDEDIT

[TheDefender]

If that doesn't work, then you may want to look at the PHP manual for the mysql_data_seek() function in conjunction with the mysql_fetch_row() function. That may be more of what you are looking for (which uses the same principles I talked about above)

[denislav]

Thanks Defender!

finaly it worked like this:

$ad1 = mysql_fetch_array ($random);
 for ($i = 0; $i < 1; $i++){ 
    echo "first value is: " . $ad1['prix'] . "<br>";  }

$ad2 = mysql_fetch_array ($random);
for ($i = 1; $i < 2; $i++){ 
    echo "second value is: " . $ad2['prix'] . "<br>";  }

I looked also at the mysql_data_seek function... sounds nice and simple but the manual doesn't give us enough examples. To call the first row I tried mysql_data_seek( $result, 0 ); but it didn't work properly. If you can please tell us something more about the function and I will mark the problem "resolved".
Thanks once again for the help!

[TheDefender]

It would go a little something like this... The only thing I saw on my test setup (Keep in mind, I have never done it this way. I usually do it the first way I showed you) is that you can't call the column by name. You have to use the numeric index of that column. So in your case, you would need to call the column number corresponding with your ['prix'] value. I will try to make it as close to your setup for you...

// Assuming your query looks something like this:
$random = mysql_query("SELECT * FROM yourtable ORDER BY rand() LIMIT 3");

// First one, set the pointer to the 1st row (0 in this case)
$ad = mysql_data_seek($random,0);
$ad = mysql_fetch_row($random);
echo $ad[1]."<BR/>";

// Second one, set the pointer to the 2nd row (1 in this case)
$ad = mysql_data_seek($random,1);
$ad = mysql_fetch_row($random);
echo $ad[1]."<BR/>";

// Third one, set the pointer to the 3rd row (2 in this case)
$ad = mysql_data_seek($random,2);
$ad = mysql_fetch_row($random);
echo $ad[1]."<BR/>";