Confusing mysql_fetch_row output problem

[OriginalSixRules]

I am executing the following query.  Please note the first column name:

 

$sqlString="SELECT href, urlParam, urlParamVal, linkText, target FROM menulinks WHERE menu='leftSideMenu' ";

 

$result = mysql_query($sqlString);

 

The following code:

while ($thisRow = mysql_fetch_row($result )){

    echo $thisRow['href'];

}

 

results in this error:

Notice: Undefined index: href in C:\EasyPHP-5.3.2\www\my_app\display\leftSideMenu.php on line 25

 

If I go to output the column names with this code:

echo "The column names are-";

$numRows=mysql_num_rows($result );

$i = 0;

while ($i < mysql_num_fields($result )){

$field = mysql_fetch_field($result , $i);

echo $field->name."<br/>";

$i++;

}

 

The output from the above code is...

The column names are-

href

urlParam

urlParamVal

linkText

target

 

I am obviously selecting the column named 'href,' and the column name can be displayed as selected. 

 

If I change the code in the first loop to use $thisRow[0] I get the output I expect.  In fact, if I use any of the column names instead of numbers I get the "invalid index" error.

 

What simple mistake am I making and/or missing?

[taquitosensei]

use mysql_fetch_assoc instead.   

 

mysql_fetch_row returns a numerically indexed array.

 

mysql_fetch_assoc returns an associative array.

[OriginalSixRules]

Yeesh.

 

To quote the Zen master Homer Simpson as he claps with one hand - "D'oh!!!!"

 

Thanks for the help!

[Psycho]

Personally, I always use mysql_fetch_assoc(), but as an alternative there is also mysql_fetch_array() which can retrieve the results as an enumerated array, an associative array or both (default).