Need some help putting results into columns

[closer2u]

Hi, would appreciate some help re-coding the following so it will display the results not on one line (seperated by "|") but in a table of 3 columns.

It queries the DB for subcategories and if present list them seperated by "|"

$pol = mysql_query("select * from categories where parent = '$catid' order by name");
	if (mysql_num_rows($pol) > 0) {
		while ($scat = mysql_fetch_object($pol)) {
			$subcatimg = rand(1,5);

		$subcathtml .= "<img src=\"".$_SERVER["HOST_NAME"]."/images/cat-".$subcatimg.".gif\" border=\"0\" align=\"absmiddle\"><a href=\"".str_replace(" ", "_", $scat->name)."/".getindex($scat->name).".$pext\">".$scat->name."</a> | ";

	}

	$subcathtml = substr($subcathtml, 0, -2);
}
else $subcathtml = "Geen"; 

I've tried several web suggestions, including the one found on codewalkers, but cannot seem to assimilate it with the exsisting code above.

Thanks for any support!

Steve

[tekky]

<?php
$pol = mysql_query("select * from categories where parent = '$catid' order by name");
if (mysql_num_rows($pol) > 0)
{
$i = 0;
?>
<table>
<?php
  while ($scat = mysql_fetch_object($pol)) {
  $i++;
  if ($i == 4)
    $i = 1;
  $subcatimg = rand(1,5);

  $subcathtml = "<img src=\"".$_SERVER["HOST_NAME"]."/images/cat-".$subcatimg.".gif\" border=\"0\" align=\"absmiddle\"><a href=\"".str_replace(" ", "_", $scat->name)."/".getindex($scat->name).".$pext\">".$scat->name."</a>";
  if ($i == 1)
    $subcathtml = '<tr><td>' . $subcathtml . '</td>';
  else if ($i == 3)
    $subcathtml = '<td>' . $subcathtml . '</td></tr>';
  else
    $subcathtml = '<td>' . $subcathtml . '</td>';
echo $subcathtml;
}
?>
<?php
</table>

I think that would work...