[Resolved] Query for 1st Letter

[ziola]

Hookay, I'm trying to create a generic in/out form processing module and I want to be able to provide a user with the ability to sort their data alphabetically with a set of A B C D..... links at the top.

Is there a simple way to use mysql to query for just the first letter of a field?

$sort_letter = "A";

$qry = ("select * from $tbl_name where field_1 like ".$sort_letter.");

this returns all rows with that letter anywhere in the field.
Andy Richtor
Achmed Schabaaz
Ralph Moneo
Calvin Murphy

whereas I only want to return rows that BEGIN with the $sort_letter
Andy Richtor
Achmed Schabaaz

Any help out there would be great....

Thanks

[bradgrafelman]

$qry = mysql_query("select * from $tbl_name where field_1 = '".$sort_letter."%' ORDER BY field_1 ASC"); 

Try that. '%' is the MySQL wildcard for 0 or more characters I believe.

[ziola]

Thanks, man, works exactly how I wanted it. You guys do good work.