Combo box keeps show empty records ! help

[redpedia]

Hello , i have a strange problem

 

i am trying to populate a combo box from mysql database, here is the code

<?php
	 include("functions.php"); 
	 mysql_connection();

	 $sql_query= mysql_query("select category_id,category_name from categories");
	 ?>

<select name="category" id="category">
          <option value="Choose">Choose</option>
         <? 
	while($fetch= mysql_fetch_array($sql_query)) 
	{  ; ?>
         
          <option value= " <? $fetch[category_id]; ?> " selected="selected"><? $fetch[category_name]; ?> </option>
	 <? 
        }
  		 ?>
        </select>

 

 

there is no errors but it keeps showing blank records or spaces inside the combo box, i mean i have 3 records now in the table , the combo box just retrieve blank 3 spaces ! , where is the problem please ? 

 

 

 

[attachment deleted by admin]

[schilly]

while($fetch= mysql_fetch_array($sql_query)) 
	{  ; ?>

 

semicolon shouldn't be there.

[redpedia]

ok i remove it but the problem still remains ....

[PFMaBiSmAd]

You must actually echo values out from php code if you want them to be output to the browser.

 

You should also use full opening php tags <?php

[redpedia]

You must actually echo values out from php code if you want them to be output to the browser.

 

You should also use full opening php tags <?php

 

Thank you very much , it worked now , the problem was that i forgot echo(s) ... i am a noob !

[schilly]

haha wow. can't believe i didn't pick that up.