Assigning variable a value from a DB entry

[vwrabbit]

Ok, this seems trivial, but since I'm a newbie when it comes to PHP, I've hit a brick wall trying to figure this out...

I want to look up "user_id" from a table and assign it to the variable $user_id. I keep getting an undefined index notice and I need it to be defined! 😃

$query = "SELECT user_id FROM users WHERE last_name = '{$last_name}'";

if(!($result = @mysql_query($query, $connection)))
	showerror();

$row = mysql_fetch_row($result);

$user_id = $row[user_id];

Thanks!

Tim

[devinemke]

$result = mysql_query("SELECT user_id FROM users WHERE last_name = '$last_name'") or exit(mysql_error());
$user_id = mysql_result($result, 0);

[vwrabbit]

Thanks!!!! That function isn't in the O'Reilly book I'm using as a reference. That certainly would have made things easier!

Tim

[scrupul0us]

gotta be careful with those books in print... alot of them are written with either slopy or outdated code...

since your a new I'll also tell you that PHP.net has a magnificient seach feature with lots of practical examples

welcome to the world of PHP 🙂

[vwrabbit]

Thanks! Yah, I've never fully trusted printed books. Especially since they always are written favoring one thing or another that the author obviously likes more than an alternative means which may be cleaner, better, etc...

Thanks again!

Tim