Function to get mySQL data

[ts10]

Hey, I'm trying to use a function to get data from a database and then send it to my script. I'm fairly new to functions and I thought this would work but it didn't.

Here's my function:

function showMasterClients () {

$showMasterClients = mysql_query("SELECT * FROM database_spysupply.clients WHERE clients_subof IS NULL ORDER BY clients_ln ASC") or die(mysql_error());
return $showMasterClients;

}

And the code where I want to use the returned clients:

<?
  		showMasterClients();
  	  ?>
      <select name="clients_subof" id="clients_subof">
        <option>Select Master Account</option>

   <?       
   while ($row = mysql_fetch_assoc($showMasterClients)) {
   	$clients_ln = $row["clients_ln"];
   	$clients_fn = $row["clients_fn"];

   	echo "<option value=\"clients_id\">$clients_ln, $clients_fn</option>";
   }
   ?>


  </select>

I get no results. Can anyone share what I'm doing wrong?

Thanks!!

[bubblenut]

Because you've never set the variable $showMasterClients. It should be

<?
          $showMaterClients = showMasterClients();
        ?>
      <select name="clients_subof" id="clients_subof">
        <option>Select Master Account</option>

   <?       
   while ($row = mysql_fetch_assoc($showMasterClients)) {
       $clients_ln = $row["clients_ln"];
       $clients_fn = $row["clients_fn"];

       echo "<option value=\"clients_id\">$clients_ln, $clients_fn</option>";
   }
   ?>


  </select> 

HTH
Bubble

[TheDefender]

You wouldn't necessarily need to define the variable like that... You can globalize the $showMasterClients variable so it becomes available outside of the function... (Also, get out of the habit of using the short tags for php <? ?> or <?= ?>. If the ShortTags directive is off on a server, it can screw you up later. Using long tags <?php ?> will ALWAYS work, so stay in the habit of coding the extra little bit of text there...)

<?php
function showMasterClients () { 
    global $showMasterClients;
    $showMasterClients = mysql_query("SELECT * FROM database_spysupply.clients WHERE clients_subof IS NULL ORDER BY clients_ln ASC") or die(mysql_error()); 
    return $showMasterClients; 
}
?>



<?php 
    showMasterClients(); 
?> 
<select name="clients_subof" id="clients_subof"> 
<option>Select Master Account</option> 

<?php        

    while ($row = mysql_fetch_assoc($showMasterClients)) { 
        $clients_ln = $row["clients_ln"]; 
        $clients_fn = $row["clients_fn"]; 

    echo "<option value=\"clients_id\">$clients_ln, $clients_fn</option>"; 
   } 
?> 


  </select>