php variable as column name in MySQL statement

[Dima]

Let's say db has 4 cols: user id, favorite color, shoe size, hair color. User only has the option of entering 2 variables. 1 has to be user id, 2nd one (radio button) can be color OR size OR hair color. Depending on what user entered, php should look up user id #, and then locate parameter under variable 2 col (whatever was entered for variable 2: fave color or shoe size or hair color) that belongs to that user id.

thanks for your help.

[cgraz]

I'm not sure I fully understand, but you're needing to write a query that will select a particular column, giving a certain user_id?

$strSQL = "SELECT " . $column . " 
         FROM your_table
         WHERE 
            user_id = 7";

That would select $column (could hold color, size, or hair_color) and returns that information from the database for the user with a user_id of 7 (obviously you'll change the user_id for whatever user you're looking up, and probably even use a variable).

[Dima]

Next, how do you output $col data?

[cgraz]

look at the second post in the sticky in this forum.