Help with php generated tables

[Liquid_Penguin]

Thanks to various members I got my code to work as I wanted but I am having a problem with sizing issues cause the data is all put into the same td. I want all 3 outputs in a seperate row but same column cause it will loop thru once more to create another 3 outputs. So essentially I want it to output the data in different td's of different rows but the loop thru the same rows again to put the next set of data in the next td's. Is this possible?

Thanks

This would be ideal

<table width="100%"  border="0" cellpadding="2">
  <tr>
    <td>data1A</td>
    <td>data2A</td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td>data1B</td>
    <td>data2B</td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td>data1C</td>
    <td>data2C</td>
  </tr>
</table>

Right now it is

 <table width="100%"  border="0" cellpadding="2">
  <tr>
    <td>data1A< /br>
        data1B< /br>
        data1C
    </td>
    <td>data2A< /br>
        data2B< /br>
        data2C
    </td>
  </tr>
 </table>

This is the code I have tried changing around and nothing that will work as of yet.

<table width="831" id="title">
 <tr>
  <td width="405">Featured Articles</td><td width="31"></td><td width="405">Featured Articles</td>
 </tr>
</table>

  <?php 
echo "<table id=\"featable\"><tr>";  

while($row_stories = mysql_fetch_array($query_stories)){ 
	echo "<td>"; 
    echo "<img src=\"". $row_stories['story_ImgURL'] ."\" /><br />"; 
    echo $row_stories['story_teaser'] ."<br />"; 
    echo "<a href=\"story_detail.php?story_ID=". $row_stories['story_ID'] ."\">Read More</a>"; 
    echo "</td>"; 
} 
echo "</tr></table>"; 
?>  

[Kudose]

Try this out:

<?php 
echo "<table id=\"featable\">";  

$cell_cnt = 0;
while($row_stories = mysql_fetch_array($query_stories)){ 
	if($cell_cnt % 3 == 0){ echo '<tr>'; }
    echo "<td>"; 
    echo "<img src=\"". $row_stories['story_ImgURL'] ."\" /><br />"; 
    echo $row_stories['story_teaser'] ."<br />"; 
    echo "<a href=\"story_detail.php?story_ID=". $row_stories['story_ID'] ."\">Read More</a>"; 
    echo "</td>"; 

  if(($cell_cnt % 3 == 2) || ($cell_cnt == count($row_stories)-1)){ echo '</tr>'; }
  $cell_cnt++;
} 
echo "</table>"; 
?>   

[Liquid_Penguin]

Still displaying like the original code.

No change at all.

[Kudose]

Try replaceing this line:

if(($cell_cnt % 3 == 2) || ($cell_cnt == count($row_stories)-1)){ echo '</tr>'; } 

with:

if(($cell_cnt % 3 == 2) || ($cell_cnt == count($row_stories))){ echo '</tr>'; } 

[Liquid_Penguin]

That worked. Thank you. Could you explain this code for me so I know what it is doing?

$cell_cnt = 0;
if($cell_cnt % 3 == 0){ echo '<tr>'; }
if(($cell_cnt % 3 == 2) || ($cell_cnt == count($row_stories))){ echo '</tr>'; } 
  $cell_cnt++; 

I understand $cell_cnt = 0; as setting a variable called cell_cnt at 0?

[laserlight]

That looks like it is supposed to print a table row of 3 cells.

When $cell_cnt is 0, it starts the row with a <tr>
Presumably a cell is then printed.
$cell_cnt is incremented.
When $cell_cnt is 2 (i.e. after 2 rows) it end the row with a </tr>
Presumably the last cell for that row is printed before this.

Here's a sample script that might show you a bit more what it is all about.

<?php
$num_cells = 12; //number of cells
$cells_per_row = 3; //maximum number cells per row

//begin table
echo '<table border="1">';
//loop through contents
//in this case a sequence of integers from 0 to $num_cells-1
for ($i = 0; $i < $num_cells; $i++) {
	//is this the first cell for this row?
	if ($i % $cells_per_row == 0) {
		echo '<tr>';
	}
	//print this cell's contents
	echo '<td>' . $i . '</td>';
	//is this the last cell for this row
	if (($i+1) % $cells_per_row == 0) {
		echo '</tr>';
	}

}
//end table
echo '</table>';
?>

[Liquid_Penguin]

Thanks. I understand what it is to do....I was curious as to what it meant.

I understand this statement - $cell_cnt = 0; - Sets $cell_cnt to the number 0. Why is it $cell_cnt? What does the $ stand for? Do all variables if I am right in calling that start with a $? I searched the PHP manual and found no cell_cnt so that was a made up variable?

if($cell_cnt % 3 == 0){ echo '<tr>'; } - I understand this as saying that if $cell_cnt = 0 then create a <tr>. What does the % and the 3 and the == mean?

if(($cell_cnt % 3 == 2) || ($cell_cnt == count($row_stories))){ echo '</tr>'; } - I understand this as if $cell_cnt = 2 then it will close the <tr> and the <table> but if it doesn't = 2 it will add 1 to $cell_cnt and loop thru again. Again what does the % and 3 and == mean? What does count($row_stories) do? Add 1 to the $cell_cnt each time it processes that if it isn't 2?

$cell_cnt++; - Don't know what this does. Closing for the variable cause it has hit 2? What does the ++ mean?

Sorry for the questions but I want to understand what was written there so I can learn and apply instead of sponging help only. 😃

[Kudose]

$a++ is the same as saying $a+1

The ++ means increment, -- means decrement.

Yes, all PHP variables and object start with the $ sign.

$cell_cnt = 0; means that I am setting variable cell_cnt (which I called it that for easy recalling) to 0;

if($cell_cnt % 3 == 0){ echo '<tr>'; } means that: if $cell_cnt modulus 3 equals 0, print <tr>. Modulus is a math term meaning, get the remainder. So, if the remainder of $cell_cnt is equal to 0, put a <tr>

count($row_stories); means the same as, return the number of $row_stories.

So, if($cell_cnt == count($row_stories)), means if $cell_cnt is equal to the number of entries, end the final row.

Hope that helps.

[Kudose]

Also, the best place to find out what something does is the PHP.net website. They have a function search tool located on the top right.

[Liquid_Penguin]

Yes that does help alot. I understand it better as to what it is doing. Thank you very much for the code and the explanation.

I did search there with some of the code terms and got back a hyperwave function page.

Thanks again!!