[RESOLVED] Sorting Problem

[cshrader]

Here's what I want to do:
Sort the highest five values in a column on a table, and then report those values along with other data that corresponds to these values and output this into a table.

To add a little more to this I also want another script where I will basically do the same thing as above, except I will add another parameter. For instance, when a column in the table = 1 sort the top five values and output into a table.

I've tried a couple of things with no success. If someone could point me in the right direction I'd appreciate it. Thanks.

[Matt_Kindig]

This entirely depends on the structure of your data. Specifically, is the "column" an array, from a database, or something else? That will help give us an idea of what sorting methods you should use.

Also, if you could post any code that you've tried, that would help a lot.

[cshrader]

Matt thanks for the reply. The column is part of a table in a MySQL database. Sorry should have been clearer. Here's the basic format to maybe make it clearer:

# A B C D E
1 T F 8 2 S
2 T G 6 4 R
3 T G 5 2 R
4 T F 8 7 S
5 T H 1 9 S
.......
Sorry for the lame column names, but thats the only way I could get it to line up. Hope its not too confusing.

The T's stand for text and # is the primary key (auto_increment).
The table has many more rows in it. What I'm essentially looking to do is sort C and only display the highest 5 values. When there is a numberical equivalence, as in # 1 and 4, then D will be used to determine which value is higher on the sorting list.

As for the second question I asked above, I am asking to do the same thing I mentioned previously just this time have the sorting done for item only where E=R and where B=F.

Here’s what I have so far to output the table, but I am clueless when it comes to try to sort it.

<?php

// Set the variables for the database access:

$Host = "localhost";

$User = "username";

$Password = "password";

$DBName = "dbname";

$TableName = "table";


$Link = mysql_connect ($Host, $User, $Password);

$Query = "SELECT * from $TableName";

$Sort = $Query

$Result = mysql_db_query ($DBName, $Query, $Link);


// Create table.

print ("<table border=0 width=\"75%\" cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 align=center>\n");

print ("<tr align=center valign=top>\n");

print ("<td align=center valign=top>Name:</td>\n");

print ("<td align=center valign=top>Location:</td>\n");

print ("<td align=center valign=top>Catch Date:</td>\n");

print ("<td align=center valign=top>Weight:</td>\n");

print ("<td align=center valign=top>Length:</td>\n");

print ("<td align=center valign=top>Picture:</td>\n");

print ("</tr>\n");


// Fetch results from database.

while ($Row = mysql_fetch_array ($Result)) {

print ("<tr align=center valign=top>\n");

print ("<tr align=center valign=top>\n");

print ("<td align=center valign=top>$Row[FirstName] $Row[LastName]</td>\n");

print ("<td align=center valign=top>$Row[City], $Row[State]</td>\n");

print ("<td align=center valign=top>$Row[Date]</td>\n");

print ("<td align=center valign=top>$Row[lbs]lbs $Row[oz]oz</td>\n");

print ("<td align=center valign=top>$Row[Length] inches</td>\n");

print ("<td align=center valign=top>$Row[PicLink]</td>\n");

print ("</tr>\n");

}

print ("</table>\n");

mysql_close ($Link);

?>

Thanks again.

[cshrader]

Wanted to post an update. After playing around with it, and doing alot of searching I have the sorting the way I want it.

The only question I have left is how to contrict the output to the five highest values. Any ideas?

[maxpup979]

so if I understand this correctly, you want to get all of the data for the top 5 rows, where the rows are sorted based on the values in C.

in your query, just use: select * from table order by c desc limit 5

[cshrader]

Thanks! That's what I needed.

However, a new problem has arose. Whenever C reaches 10, 11, etc. it does not recognize this number as being greater than 6 or 8 or whatever. I know I've encountered this with other sorting programs before, not related to this. How do I overcome this?

Thanks everyone!

[maxpup979]

are you storing the values as strings by chance?

make sure that you are sorting on INTs. is the data in C strings? which function are you using to sort?

[cshrader]

Your right I wasn't sorting on INTs. Good catch. Thanks.