working with associative arrays

[edwardp]

I have an array which is decalred thus:

for($x=0;$x<mssql_num_rows($result);$x++){
           $this->topOrderedParts[$x] =  mssql_fetch_array($result,MSSQL_ASSOC);
}

to access the elements i have to:

$loop = 0;
			$counter=0;
			while($counter < 10){
				if(eregi($category,$this->topOrderedParts[$loop]['ID'])){
					echo "<tr><td align=middle width=10%>".($counter+1)."</td><td width=20% class=partlistid>".$this->topOrderedParts[$loop]['ID']."</td><td class=partlistdesc>".$this->topOrderedParts[$loop]['DESCRIPTION']."</td></tr>";
					$counter++;
				}
				$loop++;
			}

This second piece of code times out after 3 mins when $category is set to certain values.

the array $this->topOrderedParts, is basically an array of partcodes and their relevant description. They are ordered by a the number of most 'ordered' parts according to our sales orders, this value doesnt need to be stored in the array.

The second set of code outputs 10 (if there are ten) parts that have the $category in the ['id'] part of the array. Basicallly i dont think my routine is very efficient and was wondering whether there is a variant to what i am trying to do.

There could be around 300 items in $this->topOrderedParts.

Thanx in advance

[laserlight]

Perhaps you should modify your database query so that only the required rows are selected? That way you save on the eregi() call, which is expensive.

[edwardp]

I think you can tell that the array is part of a class.

Do think that a better way of storing this data would be to create an assocciative array, say, split into the categories required and populate them when the class is first created?? this way the my sql query will be run once for each class instantiation and all the required data will be available from the class (classes can be serialized etc.). I suppose also, it would be more straightforward outputting/accessing the data in the array.