using if else to add array

[thetips1]

hello, i am trying to edit my search engine, i have manages to get it to retrieve data from two mysql tables however now depending on which of the two tables the data is from i would like to display a link whilst adding an array from the table.

table 1 = tip
field name i wish as an array = tipid

table 2 = pic
field name i wish to use as an array= pictipid

i tell the search which table the data is from by using field name "type"

tip = text
pic = picture
here is the code i am currently using;

$sql = "SELECT tipid,title,discription,type FROM tip WHERE title LIKE \"%$string%\"
UNION
SELECT pictipid,title,discription,type FROM pic WHERE title LIKE \"%$string%\" order by title";

$query = mysql_query($sql) or die(mysql_error());
$row_sql = mysql_fetch_assoc($query);
$total = mysql_num_rows($query);

while ($row_sql = mysql_fetch_assoc($query)) {

$pictipid=$row_sql["pictipid"];
$tipid=$row_sql["tipid"];
$title=$row_sql["title"];
$discription=$row_sql["discription"];
$type=$row_sql["type"];
if (($type='text')
$link="<a href=viewtip.php?tipid=$tipid target=new>View Tip</a>)";

else
($link="<a href=viewpictip.php?pictipid=$pictipid target=new>View Picture Tip</a>))";

echo "$title";
echo "$discription";
echo "$type";
            echo "$link";

any idea's?
thanks in advance...
matt

[dagon]

I believe you want

if ($type=='text'){
$link='<a href="viewtip.php?tipid='.$tipid.'" target="new">View Tip</a>';
}else{
$link='<a href="viewpictip.php?pictipid='.$pictipid.'" target="new">View Picture Tip</a>';
}

[thetips1]

yes i got that now but it seems to kind of merge the to table's i can only seen to display the results from 1 table......
here is my new code,

$sql = "SELECT tipid as tipid1,title as title1,discription as discription1,type as type1 FROM tip WHERE title LIKE \"%$string%\"
UNION
SELECT pictipid as pictipid2,title as title2,discription as discription2,type as type2 FROM pic WHERE title LIKE \"%$string%\"";

$query = mysql_query($sql) or die(mysql_error());
$row_sql = mysql_fetch_assoc($query);
$total1 = mysql_num_rows($query);

    while ($row_sql = mysql_fetch_assoc($query)) {

$tipid1=$row_sql["tipid1"];
$title1=$row_sql["title1"];
$discription1=$row_sql["discription1"];
$type1=$row_sql["type1"];
$pictipid=$row_sql["pictipid2"];
$title=$row_sql["title2"];
$discription=$row_sql["discription2"];
$type=$row_sql["type2"];

echo "$val<br />\n";
echo "$val<br />\n";
echo "$val<br />\n";
echo "$title1";
echo "$val<br />\n";
echo "$discription1";
echo "$val<br />\n";
echo "$type1";
echo "$val<br />\n";
if ( $type == text ) {
echo "$title1";
echo "$discription1";
echo "$type1";
echo "<a href=viewtip.php?tipid=$tipid1 target='new'>View Tip</a>";
} else {
echo "<a href=viewpictip.php?pictipid=$pictipid target='new'>View Picture Tip</a>";
}

[thetips1]

also here i am supposidly only echoing the results from the table tip whereas infact the results shown are from table pic, something very wierd going on with this!!!

[thetips1]

is there anything i can use instead of this union syntax?

[thetips1]

SORTED IT!!!
If anyone is reading this for help this was my finnished working code;

$sql = "SELECT tipid as tipid1,title as title1,discription as discription1,type as type1 FROM tip WHERE title LIKE \"&#37;$string%\"
UNION ALL
SELECT pictipid as pictipid2,title as title2,discription as discription2,type as type2 FROM pic WHERE title LIKE \"%$string%\"
UNION ALL
SELECT tipid as tipid1,title as title1,discription as discription1,type as type1 FROM tip WHERE title LIKE \"%$string%\"";

$query = mysql_query($sql) or die(mysql_error());
$row_sql = mysql_fetch_assoc($query);
$total1 = mysql_num_rows($query);

    while ($row_sql = mysql_fetch_assoc($query)) {

$tipid1=$row_sql["tipid1"];
$title1=$row_sql["title1"];
$discription1=$row_sql["discription1"];
$type1=$row_sql["type1"];

echo "$val<br />\n";
echo "$val<br />\n";
echo "$val<br />\n";
echo "$title1";
echo "$val<br />\n";
echo "$discription1";
echo "$val<br />\n";
echo "$type1";
echo "$val<br />\n";
if ( $type1 == text ) {
echo "<a href=viewtip.php?tipid=$tipid1 target='new'>View Tip</a>";
} else {
echo "<a href=viewpictip.php?pictipid=$tipid1 target='new'>View Picture Tip</a>";
}

Enjoy!...

[thetips1]

seems mysql got a bit forgetful and needed some reminding!