while loop fetch array problems

paddster

Hey folks,

So im trying to create my own appointment system for a imaginary medical clinic. I have a join hapeing in the database to return all the appointments that are booked for a specific day, appointments are of course unique per timeslot per day and per doctor.

I have been having trouble spitting this information out though. i get the result ok but im trying to create a select menu with all the times not booked from this the patient chooses a time.

i have a for loop creating all possible timeslots and i wanted to check the values returned by mysql fetch array against the generated time, if they match then move to next time. ONLY NO MATCHING TIMES ARE IN THE SELECT these are available appointments.

Have a look the while loop doesnt help but i cant get the data from mysql any other way,

$taken_slots = mysql_fetch_array($taken);
#this way works but only gives me the first value not the rest in the array.

for ($hour=9;$hour<=16;$hour++){

if($hour<10){
$on_hour="0$hour:00";

	if (!in_array($on_hour, $taken_slots)) {
	echo "<option value=\"$on_hour\">$on_hour</option>";}

	for($turns=1;$turns<=3;$turns++){
		$min=$turns*15;
			$hr_mins="0$hour:$min";

	if (!in_array($hr_mins, $taken_slots)){
	echo "<option value=\"$hr_mins\">$hr_mins</option>";}

	}

}
else{
$on_hour="$hour:00";

if (!in_array($on_hour, $taken_slots)) {
	echo "<option value=\"$on_hour\">$on_hour</option>";}

	for($turns=1;$turns<=3;$turns++){
		$min=$turns*15;
			$hr_mins="$hour:$min";

	  if (!in_array($hr_mins, $taken_slots)){
	echo "<option value=\"$hr_mins\">$hr_mins</option>";}
	 }

}
}

laserlight

this way works but only gives me the first value not the rest in the array.

Basically, you need to incorporate it into a loop, e.g.,

while ($taken_slots = mysql_fetch_array($taken)) {
    // ...
}

stolzyboy

And to expand on LL's correct suggestion, a lot of newbies keep the first line AND the while loop line. That will consume the first row and you'll lose that in your loop, so do NOT do it like this!

$taken_slots = mysql_fetch_array($taken);

while ($taken_slots = mysql_fetch_array($taken)) {
    // ...
}

Leave the first $taken out!

paddster

Yeah i know that one cheers.

I knew to use the loop, the problem i face is i get the entire list x number of time because the for loop generating the available times is inside the while loop

any ideas

laserlight

I knew to use the loop, the problem i face is i get the entire list x number of time because the for loop generating the available times is inside the while loop

You can read the data into an array then work with the array.

It may also be possible to select those appointments that are not booked, depending on how your database is designed.