Problem w/ checking if user exists

[Anon]

this is the code I use now:

$res = mysql_query("SELECT name FROM nazcom WHERE name = $username");
if(mysql_num_rows($res)>0) { header("Location: ../error.php?id=3"); $e=1; }

'name' is the column for the username, '$username' is the varible from the sign up forum, 'error.php?id=3' is just the error page that sayd the user already exists, and '$e=1;' tells the script it ran iinto an error

but if the username is free, it returns an error saying it's not a valid mysql resource, the user still gets registered, but it won't redirect, and there's the error,

Is there a better way of checking if the username already exists?

[trooper]

Dean read your code again

you have if(mysql_num_rows($res)>0) { header("Location: ../error.php?id=3"); $e=1; }

which translates to if the number of rows returned is greater than 0 !!!!! It should be

if(mysql_num_rows($res)<1) { header("Location: ../error.php?id=3"); $e=1; }

Your logic is slightly askew

Gary Mailer

[Anon]

Perhaps it is a missprint from you here on the board but dit you put $username between '' in your mysql query?

SELECT name FROM nazcom WHERE name = '$username'