[Resolved] Append strings into single variable value?

Joseph_Sliker

I am using a MySQL query to build options in a select box in a form.

Like so:

while ($Row = mysql_fetch_array ($roomResult))
{
//fill the select box elements
echo "<option value=\"$Row[ROOM]\">$Row[ROOM] ($Row[STCOUNT] students)</option>";
}

I want to add one more element that gives a wildcard value (all rooms) and includes the total number of students. Like so:

while ($Row = mysql_fetch_array ($ALLroomsResult))
{
//fill the select box elements
ECHO "<option value=\"ALL\">All Gr.$GRADE rooms ($Row[STCOUNT] students)</option>";
}

This all works fine, but I'd like to use the same select box on a second form on the same page for a different purpose. I thought if I could store the options as a $HASH string type variable, that would be quicker than having the script run the same queries twice. But I don't quite get how to code the part where the "echo" statements all get compiled into a single $HASH string.

Thanks for any suggestions.

devinemke

as with any chunk of code that you wish to re-use, just make a function for it:

function build_select()
{
	global $roomResult;

while ($Row = mysql_fetch_assoc($roomResult)) 
{ 
	echo '<option value="' . $Row['ROOM'] . '">' . $Row['ROOM'] . ' (' . $Row['STCOUNT'] . ' students)</option>'; 
}
}

and then call build_select() however many times you wish.

dhodge

Also I would quote your array references like

array_name["key"] or array_name['key']

as array_name[key] would first look for a defined varible named key i.e. define(key, 'foo')

could cuz problems in a rare situation and who knows it might be a tad faster

Joseph_Sliker

Thank you for your suggestions. Before I read them I continued with my RTE approach to coding (Rapid Trial & Error) and found that this worked:

//Fetch the results from the database.
$roomResult= mysql_query($roomQuery, $Link);
while ($Row = mysql_fetch_array ($roomResult))
 {
//fill the select box elements
$HASH .= ("<option value=\"$Row[ROOM]\">$Row[ROOM] ($Row[STCOUNT] students)</option>");
}

$ALLroomsResult= mysql_query($ALLroomsQuery, $Link);
while ($Row = mysql_fetch_array ($ALLroomsResult))
 {
//fill the select box elements
$HASH .= ("<option value=\"ALL\">All Gr.$GRADE rooms ($Row[STCOUNT] students)</option>");
}

Then I call the $HASH in the select box in both forms on the page and ta-dah! it's there.

echo "<select size=\"1\" name=\"ROOM\">$HASH</select>";