Basic PHP

Notrem

I just want the PHP to be able to create and manipulate a MySQL table. The code for accessing the server and opening the database I have already. I just have two columns (textCL and infoCL). Each column has only one row. I need textCL to be MEDIUMTEXT and infoCL to be TINYTEXT. Both will vary in size with no control. I have included only the critical lines for creating, inserting, updating. Could you check them, see if they work? I really need help with retrieving info from the table.

1) CREATE TABLE:

$sql = "CREATE TABLE textTB
(
textID int NOT NULL AUTO_INCREMENT,
PRIMARY KEY(textID),
// will the textID primary key work for both columns?
textCL MEDIUMTEXT NOT NULL,
infoCL TINYTEXT NOT NULL,
)";

2) INITIAL INSERT:

$query = "INSERT INTO textTB( textCL, infoCL ) VALUES( $txt, $nfo )";
// can I use $txt & $nfo variables as values? The book examples use text in quotes.
mysql_query( $query, $link );

3) UPDATE DATA:

$query = "UPDATE textTB SET textCL=$txt WHERE textID=0";
$query = "UPDATE textTB SET infoCL=$nfo WHERE textID=0";

// again, will the $txt & $nfo variables work.
// are the textIDs correct set to zero for both columns? There is one row per column to update.

4) RETRIEVING DATA:

Here I am at a loss. Do I need the asterik? Isn't that for all the rows in a column. I do not need the looping through. I just need the values from the two DB files placed into text variables, $txt and $nfo. I don't need an array (fetch_array) with one file per column, but that may be the only option. I have these two snippets, both very incomplete. Any help would be very appreciated!

$result = mysql_query( "SELECT * FROM textTB WHERE textCL ... ");
$txt = mysql_fetch_array($result);

Any help is very appreciated,

laserlight

I just have two columns (textCL and infoCL). Each column has only one row.

Rather, you mean to say that the table only has one row.

will the textID primary key work for both columns?

textID is the primary key of the table, not any particular column in the table.

can I use $txt & $nfo variables as values?

Of course, since the PHP interpreter will substitute the appropriate values. However, if those variables are from incoming variables (e.g., from $_POST), you should use [man]mysql_real_escape_string/man on them first.

The book examples use text in quotes.

The book is correct. You need to use single quotes. Assuming that the variables have been escaped:

$query = "INSERT INTO textTB ( textCL, infoCL ) VALUES ( '$txt', '$nfo' )";

are the textIDs correct set to zero for both columns?

They are more likely to be 1. You can update both columns in a single query:

$query = "UPDATE textTB SET textCL='$txt', infoCL='$nfo' WHERE textID=1";

Do I need the asterik? Isn't that for all the rows in a column.

Yes, "SELECT *" means "select all", and you usually do not need to select all the columns. In this case there are only two columns and you want both, so it does not really matter.

I just need the values from the two DB files placed into text variables, $txt and $nfo. I don't need an array (fetch_array) with one file per column, but that may be the only option.

It does look like you are treating the database as a combination of two files 🙂

I think that [man]list/man comes in handy here:

$result = mysql_query("SELECT textCL, infoCL FROM textTB WHERE textID=1");
list($txt, $nfo) = mysql_fetch_assoc($result);

Notrem

Thanks so much for your help. Just what I needed. One last question. What I want finally to do is bring the DB files into Flex2 and manipulate them. Using list, can I say as follows:

list($txt, $nfo)=mysql_fetch_assoc($result);
$textvar = $txt;
$infovar = $nfo;

Seems I don't need the single quotes with list.

Thanks again,

laserlight

Using list, can I say as follows:

list($txt, $nfo)=mysql_fetch_assoc($result);
$textvar = $txt;
$infovar = $nfo;

Of course, but variables are just variables. You might as well use $txt instead of $textvar, or vice versa, e.g.,

list($textvar, $infovar) = mysql_fetch_assoc($result);

Seems I don't need the single quotes with list.

Yes, since that is a PHP function and $txt and $nfo are variables, not string literals.

Notrem

Thanks so much for your help. So I find out that PHP and Flex 2 might not talk to each other. If so, it's limited. Am I'm back to square one? I want to send rte.text from a Flex2 richtextbox to the server/database (INSERT INTO), change the content (UPDATE) and return the content to a Flex 2 richtextbox (RETRIEFVE). I want to do it with Actionscript, but I am beginning to doubt it's possible. Do you know of a way?

Thanks again,