[Resolved] Need a quick answer regarding MySQL MAX statement

[jkurrle]

I have a snippet of code below in my program:

$query="select MAX(Menu_Order) from Main_Menu";
$result=mysql_query($query)
  or die("Select from Main_Menu table had errors");
$row=mysql_fetch_array($result,MYSQL_ASSOC);
if ($row=="")
  $Menu_Order="0";
else
  extract($row);

It seems to work ok when the database is empty, but when a value exists in the table, I cannot pull the highest integer value out of the table. What exactly am I doing wrong in my code?

[Drakla]

because of the weird way you're doing it with the extract you'll have to give the result an alias so change it to

select MAX(Menu_Order) as maxOrder from Main_Menu

Then when you extract the value $maxOrder would be set

[jkurrle]

Thanks for the assistance. Since I'm doing it weird, is there a better way to code it?

[Drakla]

Better? - nahh, just less likely to get shouted at for doing something perverse by whoever scrutinises your code - more usually you'd have the last 4 lines as

if ($row=mysql_fetch_row())
{
    $Menu_Order = $row[0];
}
else
{
    $Menu_Order = 0;
}

But behind closed doors I'd actually say the extract way is pretty cool.