Is it possible to base a function off of a value from a MySQL DB?

[tfburges]

Long story short...

Can I do this?

if (mysql_result($result_section,$cntr) == ('Machine Info.' or 'Machine Information' or 'Machine Info')) {
    echo "Etc.";
}

Long version...

Suppose a table looks like this:

+--------------------------------+----------------+------------------------+
| report_name                    | section        | field_desc             |
+--------------------------------+----------------+------------------------+
| Air Dryer Operators Log        | Customer Info. | Company Name           |
| Air Dryer Operators Log        | Customer Info. | City                   |
| Air Dryer Operators Log        | Customer Info. | Address Line 2         |
| Air Dryer Operators Log        | Customer Info. | Address Line 1         |
| Air Dryer Operators Log        | Customer Info. | Company Name           |
| Air Dryer Operators Log        | Customer Info. | City                   |
| Air Dryer Operators Log        | Customer Info. | Address Line 2         |
| Air Dryer Operators Log        | Customer Info. | Address Line 1         |
| Air Dryer Operators Log        | Machine Info.  | Type of Inspection     |
| Air Dryer Operators Log        | Machine Info.  | Plant ID No.           |
| Air Dryer Operators Log        | Measurements   | Inlet Air Temperature  |
| Air Dryer Operators Log        | Measurements   | Inlet Air Temperature  |
| Air Dryer Operators Log        | Measurements   | Inlet Air Pressure     |
| Air Dryer Operators Log        | Measurements   | Inlet Air Pressure     |
| Air Dryer Operators Log        | Measurements   | Outlet Air Pressure    |
| Air Dryer Operators Log        | Ratings        | Amps                   |
| Air Dryer Operators Log        | Ratings        | Voltage                |
| Air Dryer Operators Log        | Ratings        | Voltage                |
| Air Dryer Operators Log        | Ratings        | Amps                   |
| Air Dryer Operators Log        | Ratings        | Replacement Element    |
| Inspection Report for Air Care | Customer Info. | State                  |
| Inspection Report for Air Care | Customer Info. | State                  |
| Inspection Report for Air Care | Machine Info.  | Plant ID No.           |
| Inspection Report for Air Care | Machine Info.  | Type of Inspection     |
| Inspection Report for Air Care | Measurements   | Outlet Air Pressure    |
| Inspection Report for Air Care | Measurements   | Outlet Air Temperature |
| Inspection Report for Air Care | Measurements   | Outlet Air Temperature |
| Inspection Report for Air Care | Ratings        | Replacement Element    |
+--------------------------------+----------------+------------------------+

(There are actually many more columns beyond field_desc but you get the point.)

I'm trying to split the report_names into sections, each with their respective subsections so that it looks something like...

-Air Dryer Operator's Log
--Machine Info.
---Dryer Serial No.
---Dryer Model No.
---Etc.
--Customer Info.
---Customer Name
---Customer Address
---Etc.
--Ratings
---Etc.
-Inspection Report for Air Care
--Machine Info.
---Etc.
--Customer Info.
---Etc.
--Visual
---Etc.

I've been trying to use the following code to do it:

 for ($cntr = 0; $cntr < $num_rows; $cntr += 1) {
  if (mysql_result($result_report_name,$cntr) == $selected_report) {  

   if (mysql_result($result_section,$cntr) == ('Machine Info.' or 'Machine Information' or 'Machine Info')) {
    echo "
	       <tr><td width=225 align=right valign=middle>",mysql_result($result_field_desc, $cntr),":&nbsp;</td><td width=225 align=left valign=middle><input name=",mysql_result($result_input_name, $cntr)," type=",mysql_result($result_field_type, $cntr),">&nbsp;",mysql_result($result_unit_type, $cntr),"</td></tr>
    ";
   }
  }
 }

And I also wrote the following code that might help me single out where each report_name and section_name change.

 for ($cntr = 1; $cntr < $num_rows; $cntr += 1) {
  if (mysql_result($result_report_name,$cntr) !== $length_gitr) {
   $loop_lengths[$arr_length] = $cntr-1;
   $length_gitr[$arr_length] = mysql_result($result_report_name,$cntr);
   $arr_length++;
  }
 }

[NogDog]

It could not be done like that, as this is not a valid syntax:

if(value1 == (value2 or value3 or value4)) {

It would instead have to be:

if(value1 == value2 or value1 == value3 or value1 == value4) {

If you go that approach, then I think it would be better to first assign the result to a variable, then use that variable in the if condition. On the other hand, I suppose you could do something like the following if you prefer:

if(in_array(mysql_result($result_section,$cntr), array('Machine Info.', 'Machine Information', 'Machine Info'))) {

Yet another possibility would be:

if(preg_match('/^Machine Info(\.|rmation)?$/', mysql_result($result_section,$cntr)) {