How to store a value from a result set

[gwh]

Hi everyone,

 

I have the following database query:

 

	$sql = "SELECT category FROM categories WHERE catID='$id'";
	$result = mysqli_query($link, $sql);
	if (!$result)
	{
		$error = 'Error getting category to display.';
		include 'error.html.php';
		exit();
	}

	$category = $result;

 

Since most queries return more than one row and multiple columns in a row, I know that the result set is usually stored in an array so it can be accessed for further use as in the following snippet:

 

while ($row = mysqli_fetch_array($result))
{
$categories[] = array('catID' => $row['catID'], 'category' => $row['category']);
}

 

But since my result set will return only one result, ie the category that matches $id, I wondered what is the best way to store the value from the result. I've tried to use:

 

$category = $result;

 

...but this didn't work so I thought this mustn't be the way to do it.

 

Can someone comment on this? I mean am I supposed to store every result set in an array even if only one value is returned?

 

Appreciate any comments/help.

[Garethp]

$catagory = mysqli_fetch_array($result);

[gwh]

Thanks for the reply,

 

I changed it according to what you said and then tried to output the value on another page with the following code:

 

    <?php
if ($recordsExist) {

  echo '<p class="warning">'. $category . ' category has dependent records. Can\'t be deleted.</p>';
  }
else {
?>

 

The above code output the following:

 

Array category has dependent records. Can't be deleted.

 

Instead of the name of the category is outputting, "Array".

 

I tried doing a print_r ($category); and it gave the following:

 

Array ( [0] => Shirts [category] => Shirts )

 

Do you know why it's not outputting the category value?

 

[Buddski]

$category = mysqli_fetch_array($result,MYSQL_NUM);
$category = $category[0];

or

list($category) = mysqli_fetch_array($result,MYSQL_NUM);

[gwh]

Great - the following works:

 

list($category) = mysqli_fetch_array($result,MYSQL_NUM);

 

What does the list and MYSQL_NUM do?

 

Can you explain it?

[Buddski]

Its the same as calling mysqli_fetch_row();

You see mysqli_fetch_array without that flag will return an associative array AND a numerical array, passing that flag means it will only return the numerical one as the associative one isnt needed in this case.

[gwh]

Ok thanks - got it now.