Seeking Formula: mysql_num_rows divided by <table> .... ?

ATS16805

i'm looking for a formula to use-- i'd prefer to come up with something "potentially generic" which i can hopefully use in a number of situations-- to stick in between my SELECT query and my ECHO output-- so that, depending on the number of rows in the result, the script can decide when to add another </td></tr><tr><td> series of elements (or something to that effect) so that my output will be as clean-looking on the page as possible. i tried doing a search for this, cause i know i've come across it here before-- might have even been my thread! but, you know how it can be sometimes... i hope.

i'm looking forward to seeing what you have as a suggestion. i was trying to think of a way to say something like this, but i'm horrible w/ math, really:

 $numrows = mysql_num_rows($query);

if($numrows / 3 = [some multiple of three... would that be the "cube-root???"]) {
$htmlblock .= "</td></tr><tr><td>";
else {
}

but i'm stuck on the dividing by 3 bit. am i on the right track? if so, what type of number do i need in there?

thanks so much!

FatalError

Do something like this:

$row = mysql_fetch_array($query);
$numrows = mysql_num_rows($query);
$html_block = "<table>"; // Replace this with whatever you want at the beginning.
for ($a = 0; $a < $numrows; $a++)
{
    $html_block .= "<tr><td>"; // Replace with whatever you want before each $row element
    $html_block .= $row[$a];
    $html_block .= "</td></tr>"; // Again, replace with whatever you want after each one.
}
$html_block .= "</table>"; // Replace again...
echo $html_block;

That should work, but it depends on what you are trying to accomplish, and what you have in the database. Can you please explain a little more about what you are going to do with this?

ATS16805

hey, thanks! yeah, i realize the content will have large bearing on the way it's gonna look.

this is what i came up with with for now-- i used no formula at all, and i'd have to populate the db to really get a look at it of course. i decided it probably wasn't a big deal for this page, but, i still want to learn some technique (as you've shown me) and IDEALLY-- it would be awesome if i could generate a "page2", not unlike here when the pages go beyond a certain number of posts.

this is just "foolin' around" stuff, but that's how i learn-- (and i'm sure many others do their learning that way as well. hehe)

FatalError

Yeah, that's a good way to learn. I got a book from the library to learn the basics, but then I pretty much learned all the advanced stuff myself, like you. Trial and error is a good way to learn too.

ATS16805

indeed-- it's amazing (and we're all fortunate for it) how much free (and worthwhile!) PHP research material there is available on-line. more and more, i find myself going back to the php.net manual-- 9 times out of 10, i can figure out how to use the function by reading that page -- but if there's no example, that's when i tend to have trouble-- or no example which fits my particular scenario.

related commentary:
for anyone who has ever found it difficult to learn from the manual, and instead googles his or her way around the learning process, i recommend you take a good look at this-- something, if i recall correctly, Thorpe here at the forum brought to my attention. until i read this page, i didn't get NEARLY as much as i do now from the manual.

Weedpacket

WAY ahead of you 😃

ATS16805

hellsyeah man-- that's EXACTLY what i was trying to figure out! well-- not the padding bit, but the rows ending/ beginning bit. that's awesome!

before doing any research, i have to ask: hmm-- what is the %3 doing in there. my guess (at this moment) is that it doesn't really mean "percent of three". 😉

anyway-- i look forward to puttin this into production. i'm sure it will come in handy directly!

edit-- oh, and i can't believe i forgot to mention how thoughtful it was of you to put together that little collection of packaged solutions. very handy indeed i'm sure-- i remember those problems... headers, etc. 😃

edit2: by the way, WP, something about your "common solutions" inspired me to look for something which, although i didn't find it, i described in this thread that i started in the meantime. please take a look if you have a moment. thinking about the way we learn to develop w/ PHP was the basic part of the inspiration...