[RESOLVED] seting up a loop

fearfx

I need help setting up some kind of loop to read information from a database

    		$result = mysql_query("SELECT name FROM cat_categories WHERE ref = 1" ) or die(mysql_error()); 
			$cname = mysql_fetch_array( $result );
			 echo $cname['name'];

in the column name there are 5 rows with information, 3 out of the five rows have a ref - 1 and the other to have ref - 5

now I want to print out all rows under column name with ref-1

how do I do this?

laserlight

Use a while loop, e.g.,

$result = mysql_query("SELECT name FROM cat_categories WHERE ref = 1")
    or die(mysql_error());
while ($row = mysql_fetch_assoc($result))
{
    echo $row['name'] . "<br />\n";
}

fearfx

thank you, now one more question,

how do i sort the results aphibetically?

and then how would i got about making each result a link to a specific page for each catagory.??

because new catagories can be added administrative wise.

laserlight

how do i sort the results aphibetically?

Change your query to add an ORDER BY name clause.

and then how would i got about making each result a link to a specific page for each catagory.??

Just change the loop body to print a link.

fearfx

laserlight wrote:
Change your query to add an ORDER BY name clause.

Just change the loop body to print a link.

so whats the clause for ABC order?

ORDER BY asc?

laserlight

ORDER BY name ASC, or more simply ORDER BY name.

fearfx

thank you very much 🙂

laserlight

You're welcome 🙂
Remember to mark this thread as resolved (if it is) using the Thread Tools.

fearfx

ok , I know i'm a beginner, but could you breifly tell me how I would make each link to go to a specific page. Like for example

how do i go about creating a page to handle a link like this, list.php?=c1

echo '<a href="' . $link . '">' . $row['name'] . "<br />\n" . '</a>';

do you follow?

=c1
=c2

would corrispond to 'name' in the database

what i want is each link to have its own page within a page?

im not sure if Im explaining correctly, so im sorry if im confusing you.

but i do not the help

laserlight

I would suggest something along the lines of:

echo '<a href="list.php?name=' . urlencode($row['name']) . '">'
    . htmlspecialchars($row['name']) . "</a><br />\n";

In list.php, you would then use $_GET['name'] to access the name provided. Of course, you still have to check that the name provided is valid.

fearfx

i might be asking too much, but I am a beginner trying to learn..

now in list.php

how would i set up which page is read, a bunch of if's or what?

I mean, i know i would have to read the info from the database

then put them into variables

then...

Im confused.

bpat1434

You could use if()elseif()else{} statements, or a simple [man]switch/man statment. e.g.:

<?php
$name = $_GET['name'];
switch($name)
{
    case 'something':
        // Execute something's code here
        break;

case 'something-else':
    // Execute something-else's code here
    break;

default:
    // Execute the default something here
    break;
}

Basically, this allows you to do a bunch of if()elseif()elseif()else{} statements without all that structure. the "default" keyword means that if $_GET is empty, or nothing matches above, then it will execute.