newbie sql select question

Anon

I've created a link (../file.php3?category=dealers&topic=ford), passing these two variables to a SELECT:

SELECT ... FROM ... WHERE CatName='$category' AND TopicName='$topic' ....

This works fine to list all entries for topics in that category, but can I use this SELECT to list all entries (regardless of topic) for the category? I know that eliminating the topic variable from the link wont work. What will?

Anon

You want to run two different queries dependent on if a topic is supplied or not

select * from mytable where catname='$category' and topicname='$topic'

select * from mytable where catname='$category'

the second one gives you all topics in a category. You can use an if else to do this...

if (isset($topicname)) {
do first sql statement
} else {
do second sql statement
}

There are other logic structures you can use as well. Hope that gets you started.

Tim

Anon

Thanks for the help!