Duplicate Member Records

Anon

I'm not sure if this is a PHP question or a MySQL question.

My site allows users to register to become a member. But as things are now, people can sign up using the same membername that somebody else has previously chosen.

What's the best way to fix this problem? Do I need to insert some sort of PHP code that checks the database?

Help!

[deleted]

Alter your table to make the membername column 'unique'.

Read the mysql manual about the 'alter table' statement.

Anon

Oh, that was so much easier than I thought it would be. :o) Thanks so much!

Might I trouble you with another question?

The message I get now is a duplicate entry. How can I change my site code to take the visitor to a customized page telling them to choose another membername?

One more quick question: I now see that I'm having trouble with passwords. I ask the user to confirm the password but when they register, it doesn't matter to the system if the password matches!

P.S. I didn't write this code. I know very, very little about PHP and had to hire someone.

Anon

Your question is simple, but not a quick-answer type. I think it's best you read up about CONTROL STRUCTURES. http://www.php.net/manual/en/control-structures.php

One way you could compare passwords it to have two form fields, name one passwd1, and the other passwd2. Then use php to compare.

IF($passwd1 != $passwd2)
{
do something here...
}

Goodluck!

Richie Akins.
http://sabyo.dyns.cx/

Anon

Firstly,

wouldn't hurt for you to learn php yourself. It is not C -> learning curve for PHP is very short.

As far as your questions concerned
1. In order to have unique member names
1.1. Create table which has member name field as a primary key. Mysql will not add entry unless member name will be unique.
1.2. In order to check if member name exists you need to do a simple query.
$sql="select * from member_name_table where member_name=\"user_submitted_member_name\"";
if(mysql_num_rows(mysql_query($conn, $sql))>0)
then tell user that such member name already exists and kill the script.

Password confirmation

Richie addressed this issue...

Few other suggestions
1. Get Julie Melonie's book "PHP Fast and Easy" - it is a great start up resource for a newbie. At a cost of 20 bucks it is really a good deal.

Di
www.tftw.org