[RESOLVED] How do I return 2 database queries at once?

IceRegent

I need to return 2 sequential complete records from a table in my database. I need to use these records in the form of displaying the first set of records in one <div> and then display the second set of records in the second <div>, and then continue in the loop to retrieve 2 more records and display as stated again, until all of the records have been displayed.

Here is my code so far:

<?php
session_start();
include 'include/config.php';

// This script will display articles, short description with a link to MORE...
$query = "SELECT * FROM articles";
$result = mysql_query($query) or exit(mysql_error());
while($row = mysql_fetch_array($result, MYSQL_ASSOC)) 
{
echo '<div class="artleft">';
echo 'This is the <b>left side</b> of the articles display';
echo '</div>';
echo '<div class="artright">';
echo 'This is the <b>right side</b> of the articles display';
echo '</div>';
}
?>

Any ideas on how to do this? I can easily get it to retrieve and display one record at a time, but unsure how to retrieve and display 2 at a time.

dagon

instead of echoing out the results immediately, store each in a var then output them

IceRegent

Ok, I found a way to make it work..Here is the code that works...

<?php
session_start();
include 'include/config.php';

// This script will display articles, short description with a link to MORE...
echo '<table class="articles">';
$query = "SELECT * FROM articles";
$result = mysql_query($query) or exit(mysql_error());
while($row = mysql_fetch_array($result, MYSQL_ASSOC) AND ($row1 = mysql_fetch_array($result, MYSQL_ASSOC))) 
	{
echo '<tr><td width="350px"><b>' . $row['artitle'] . ' - Read full article - </b></td>';
echo '<td width="15px"></td><td width="350px"><b>' . $row1['artitle'] . ' - Read full article - </b></td></tr>';
echo '<tr><td width="350px">' . $row['artdesc'] . '</td><td width="15px"></td><td width="350px">' . $row1['artdesc'] . '</td></tr>';
}
echo '</table>';
?>

dagon

that's just one query with duplicate result arrays

IceRegent

Nope, it returns 2 different sets of records. $row actually reads one record and $row1 reads the next record, enabling me to display the two sequential record sets into a table, where I have the title field of one record displayed to the left of the title field of the next record set, and then I display a description filed underneath of the first title field, and go on to display the second description field underneath of the second title field, just like I wanted it to happen. No, not duplicates at all.

And yes, I have verified my results by actually uploading the script and watching the results.

dagon

its the same record set.

IceRegent

Wrong. It is not the same record set. Why are you arguing this with me? Maybe you should try it out for yourself. Now, if I say I observed the results, and KNOW that it is returning different record sets, then why are you saying this to me? Thusly, I cannot fathom why you are insisting that it is the same record set. Please explain your insistance.

Perhaps you are saying something else other than what I am hearing you say?

dagon

one query, one result pointer = one record set.

IceRegent

Ok, so then, you say that I can only get one record at a time from this inquiry, and that I am getting duplicates from reading the same record from both inquiries?

tave

Ok. I think that this can be easily solved by going back to basics ...

Let S = {1,2,3,4,5} . In this case S is a set composed of the natural numbers from 1 to 5 inclusive.

Whenever you run the query in mysql, the result is a pointer to S ... which in this case is being assigned to $row.

Now, every time you call the mysql_fetch_array you are passing it the pointer $row. The function returns a single row in the form of an array. Looking back at S, this would be 1 . The next time you call mysql_fetch_array, it will get 2 and so on. Usually we make ONE call to mysql_fetch_array for each iteration of the loop. So given S, the loop would have to run 5 times.

What you are doing is calling mysql_fetch_array two times in each iteration of the while loop. Essentially , you are tellin mysql give me row 1 and row 2 the first time you go through the loop, and then you ask for row 3 and row 4. .. ... What do you think happens the third time the while look is executed ? you ask for row 5 and row 6 .... but there is no row 6!!!

So, there is only one result set ,S , but you are calling for two members at a time!!!!

In reality, what you needed was this .....

<?php
session_start();
include 'include/config.php';

// This script will display articles, short description with a link to MORE...
$query = "SELECT * FROM articles";
$result = mysql_query($query) or exit(mysql_error());

$i = 0;
while($row = mysql_fetch_array($result, MYSQL_ASSOC))
{
   if ($i% 2 == 0) {
     $div =    '<div class="artleft">' ;
     $side = ' left side ';
    }
    else { 
     $div =  '<div class="artright">' ;
     $side = ' right side ';
    }

echo "$div This is the <b>$side</b> of the articles display </div>";

 $i++;

}
?>

now please, try to be a little more polite to the people who are freely giving up their time to help you.

IceRegent

In reality, my code has less code to it and works perfectly well as it is. As I was saying, it returns consecutive records, not duplicate records. I know perfectly well how the pointers work. Every time you read a record without closing out the database, the pointer is advanced one record. Thusly, every time you read a record, whether it is in the same loop, or in the next loop, the pointer is advanced one record. Now, my method has less code than that proposed here, and, it also works wonderfully.

johanafm

You do have one record set, and fetching one row each into several variables will not change that.

Also, if you have an odd number of rows, you will not get the last row to display.

while($row = array() && $row1 = false)

will always evaluate to false in this case. tave's last post doesn't have that problem.