Uploading and replacing graphics

Slater28

Hi,

I imagine that this question has been asked before but I am extremely new to PHP and MySql databases and am not certain how to search for this.

I am designing a web site for an online comic strip. I would like to create a form that would allow me to upload the latest graphic to the site and using a mysql database have a unique identifier applied to that graphic. I believe I know how to go about this but would appreciate any input. Where I start to get really confused is here: 😕 when a new graphic is uploaded I want that graphic to be posted on the main page of the site (replacing the previous strip)😕 . How would I have PHP querry the database and recognize which strip is the newest?

any help in pointing me in the right direction would be great.
if your curious this is the site (strictly HTML and CSS at the moment): http://www.pie-comics.com
Thanks.

NogDog

Include a timestamp or datetime field for each entry in the DB. When you upload a new comic, enter the current time in that field when you do the DB insert. On your main page, do a DB select to get the latest one, something like:

SELECT col1, col2,...colN FROM table_name ORDER BY date_col DESC LIMIT 1

Slater28

I think I understand. I'm gonna give this a go.
When you say: SELECT col1, col2,...colN
I'm guessing that means "select all columns"?
And then "DESC LIMIT 1" means to take the first (newest) one?
I'm trying to understand this as I go. I'm still VERY wet behind the ears with this stuff.

oh, and thanks a lot for the quick reply!

NogDog

The "col1..." stuff was just a generic place-holder. You should select only the columns you need.

Yes, the "ORDER BY date_col DESC" means to sort the results by the datetime column (again using a generic column name, so replace with whatever you decide to use), then the "LIMIT 1" restricts the query output to just one row, which will be the latest since we sorted from newest to oldest with the "DESC" parameter to the "ORDER BY" clause.