[SOLVED] Displaying the nth result

[Sydcomebak]

<?php
$desired_num=4;
$result = mysql_query("SELECT * 
FROM NamesTbl") OR die(mysql_error());
WHILE ($row = mysql_fetch_array($result) )  { 
echo $row($desired_num)[NameLast];
}
?>

 

How do I display the 4th ($desired_num) value in the result?

 

-Dave

[widox]

Well, what exactly does $desired_num represent and how does the user/code pick it?

Best bet would be to use that as criteria in your SQL statement. Such as

SELECT * FROM NamesTbl WHERE id = SOMEID

or somesuch where clause. Then you'll only need to retrieve 1 record instead of ALL records. Then you can simply display the results of your query and be done.

[Sydcomebak]

I don't want to use a where statement.  I need to be able to get all results and pick them whenever I need.

 

I know it seems weird, but I have my reasons for using this odd way.

 

I WAY oversimplified the code to show what I need.

 

-Dave

[rofl90]

<?php
$desired_num=4;
$result = mysql_query("SELECT * 
FROM NamesTbl LIMIT {$desired_num}, 1") or die(mysql_error());
while($row = mysql_fetch_array($result))  { 
echo $row['NameLast'];
}
?>

[akitchin]

or, if you wanted to grab the whole set and specify a row, look into mysql_data_seek().  however, selecting only the rows you need is always the best practice to reduce unnecessary overhead.

[Sydcomebak]

OK, let's say that I have an array of 28 names and I want to display them in columns.

 

I want to display NameLast[1] then NameLast[4] then Namelast[7] in the first row of a table.

 

The easiest way to do that would be to do a for loop

 

for x = 1 to 3 do begin

 

echo NameLast[3x-2]

 

end

 

I hope that's clearer.

 

[rofl90]

<?php
$desired_num=4;
$result = mysql_query("SELECT * 
FROM NamesTbl") or die(mysql_error());
$x=0;
while($row = mysql_fetch_array($result))  {
$i=0;
if($i % 3) echo $row['NameLast'];
$i++;
}
//edited
?>

Try that..edited

[Jabop]

In that instance I'd use mysql_data_seek(), as akitchin recommended.

 

http://us2.php.net/mysql_data_seek

 

$fourth = mysql_data_seek($result, 4);

$seventh = mysql_data_seek($result, 7);

[rofl90]

re-re-edited, sorry

 

<?php
$desired_num=4;
$result = mysql_query("SELECT * 
FROM NamesTbl") or die(mysql_error());
$x=0;
while($row = mysql_fetch_array($result))  {
$i=0;
if(($i % $desired_num) == 0) echo $row['NameLast'];
$i++;
}
//edited
?>

Try that..edited

[Jabop]

rofl90, that would only display 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, and so on.

 

That's not what OP is looking for

[rofl90]

Ooh... sorry I thought he was looking for every modulus of something.

[Sydcomebak]

In that instance I'd use mysql_data_seek(), as akitchin recommended.

 

http://us2.php.net/mysql_data_seek

 

$fourth = mysql_data_seek($result, 4);

$seventh = mysql_data_seek($result, 7);

 

Doesn't this just send back a boolean saying that the row has data in it?

[akitchin]

it will. what you need to do is put an if() into the while() loop to tell it to jump to the row for the next iteration of the loop. keep in mind you haven't been totally clear - do you want to display them in three columns, or do you want to display them in columns of three? your 1, 4, 7 example only works if it keeps going (let's assume 28 names, the way you did):

 

1 4 7 10 13 16 19 22 25 28
2 5 8 11 14 17 20 23 26
3 6 9 12 15 18 21 24 27

[Sydcomebak]

I'm building an array of results instead.

[akitchin]

alright, but to be honest, you're wasting a fair bit of resources by not taking advantage of PHP's MySQL functions.  it's roughly the same amount of coding work to get it working within the loop.  i was going to write an example to work with, but i didn't know whether you'd be displaying in a set of 3 columns or columns of 3.

[rofl90]

Oh sorry I didn't totally understand, well I gave you the concept, you can figure out the easy bits.

 

or what you want to do i guess then you need 2 nested for loops to do this

start

1

2

3

4

middle

1 4 7 10

2 5 8

3

4

end

1 4 7 10

2 5 8 11

3 6 9 12

4 9 12 13

 

Using increments of one in your first loop, and increments of 3 in your nested loop.

[unkwntech]

If you know what order the rows are retuned and which item you want use mysql_result($result, $desired_num, 'columName)