[Resolved] Returning only unique values from a table

wad

I'm in the process of writing a listings database to record various items, like movies, DVDs, music, ect. There will be pre-defined categories, of which I know.

When a user adds an item to the listing, it is tied specifically to his account. This is the table structure:

listingName | listingType | listingOwner | listingRating | listingLink | listingID

This table will have data from every user. I'm trying to make the database searchable by a specific user. When doing this, I don't want useless data.

Lets say my categories are DVDs, Movies, Music CDs, Misc. User A has 3 listings, 2 in DVDs, and 1 in Music CDs. I want to be able to return "DVDs, Music CDs" and I can take it from there.

I've seen nothing like this, or perhaps I don't know what to search for. Could anybody please point me in the right direction, or give me pointers?

Thanks 🙂

ArmyNation_Net

$query = mysql_query("SELECT * FROM `table` WHERE `listingType`='DVDS' AND `listingType`='Music'");
$data_c = mysql_num_rows($query);
if($data_c == 0)
{
echo "You Have No Listings In The Categorys Provided.";
}
else
{
echo "We Found 3 Listings:<br />";
while ($data = mysql_fetch_array($query))
{
echo "$data['listingType'] >> $data['listingName']<br />";
}
}

wad

That would be fine if I knew beforehand what categories the user has placed listings in.

Ok, let me explain this a different way.

I go to the site, and select my username. I have 4 items, 2 DVDs, 2 Movies. There are currently 3 categories: DVD, Movie, Other. I have nothing in the Other category.

I want the data to be formatted (not part of the question) like:

 - DVD
    - Item #1
    - Item #2
 - Movies
    - Item #1
    - Item #2

So, at first, I only want to return what categories THAT user has posted to. I need it to be able to select all categories if necessary.

Is it possible to go through a table, say from

$result = mysql_query("SELECT `listingType` FROM `listings` WHERE `listingOwner` = 'me'");
$return = mysql_fetch_array($result); // Correct?

and I know it's going to return something like DVD, DVD, Movie, Movie, and have it show me ONLY DVD, Movie?

Thats more what I'm looking for.

ArmyNation_Net

$query = mysql_query("SELECT * FROM `table` WHERE `listingOwner`='$owner_from_Where_ever'");

if($showDVD == "Y")
{
echo "-DVDs<br />";

while ($data = mysql_fetch_array($query))
{
if($data['listingType'] == "DVD")
{
echo "&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;- $data['listingName']<br />";
}
else
{
}
}
}
if($showMOV == "Y")
{
echo "-Movies<br />";

while ($data = mysql_fetch_array($query))
{
if($data['listingType'] == "MOVIE")
{
echo "&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;- $data['listingName']<br />";
}
else
{
}
}
}

Input Required: ShowMOV (Y, N) | ShowDVD (Y, N)
Output:

-DVDs
-The Fast And The Furious
-The Ring
-Movies
-Nutty Professor
-Evil Space Clowns

wad

Thanks for that. That got me to think of a roundabout method of determination.

I simply add 3 fields at the end of the user table, saying hasDVD, hasMovie, hasOther, and then I check if those are true, and process everything based on the checking.

Thanks again!