Passing Query results to PHP

[countrygyrl]

I have a query that works in phpmyadmin but I can't figure out how to pull the result from it, I am also pretty sure there is a prettier way to write the sql query but hey, it works and my daddy always taught me not to fix it if it isn't broke.  Soo if someone can tell me how to actually utilize this sql statement in a php page that would be great:

 

SELECT SUM(si_invoice_items.total) AS $total_invoices FROM si_invoices LEFT JOIN si_invoice_items ON si_invoices.id = si_invoice_items.invoice_id WHERE si_invoices.customer_id='$_SESSION[user_id]'

 

[Jax2]

$sql="SELECT SUM(si_invoice_items.total) 
AS $total_invoices FROM si_invoices 
LEFT JOIN si_invoice_items ON si_invoices.id = si_invoice_items.invoice_id 
WHERE si_invoices.customer_id='$_SESSION[user_id]'";
$result=mysql_query($sql);
echo $total;

 

something like that?

[countrygyrl]

Unfortunately that didn't work, this is my code right now I am getting no result.  If I take the sql statement alone and put it in the database I do get the correct result, so i know the problem is with the way I am trying to get the sql result into php

 

$result=mysql_query("SELECT SUM(si_invoice_items.total) AS $total_invoices FROM si_invoices LEFT JOIN si_invoice_items ON si_invoices.id si_invoice_items.invoice_id WHERE si_invoices.customer_id='$_SESSION[user_id]'");
$total_invoices = $total;

[trq]

$sql="
  SELECT SUM(si_invoice_items.total) AS total_invoices FROM si_invoices 
  LEFT JOIN si_invoice_items ON si_invoices.id = si_invoice_items.invoice_id 
  WHERE si_invoices.customer_id='{$_SESSION['user_id']}'
";

if ($result = mysql_query($sql)) {
  if (mysql_num_rows($result)) {
    $row = mysql_fetch_assoc($result);
    echo $row['total_invioces'];
  }
}

[countrygyrl]

OMG thank you so much!!!! You have no idea, I have been working on this syntax for three days.  I just about peed my pants when I got the result I was looking for lol

[trq]

3 days? There are VERY clear examples of this in the manual.

[countrygyrl]

um yeah the manual, we don't get along so good. I searched and searched and couldn't find anything that worked.

[trq]

You'd probably better start making up with the manual then, its a php programmers best friend. A very well written & functional one at that too IMO.

[countrygyrl]

lol I will try