Displaying database data in three vertical columns

[wchamber22]

Hello freaks,

 

Got a task here which is displaying correctly (I believe).  I only have 3 data entries in the db right now.  Like I said (I think) the display of the code below yields the right layout but it repeats the first db entry over and over.

 

I got the display to work correctly like this:

 

1 2 3

4 5 6

7 8 9

 

I am trying to get this display result (so it is more eligable for the end user!)

 

1 4 7

2 5 8

3 6 9

 

Thanks in advance!

 

CODE

<?php
include_once "connect_to_mysql.php";
$cols = 3;
$result = mysql_query("SELECT plantID, botanicalName FROM plants ORDER BY botanicalName");
$numrows = mysql_num_rows($result);
$rows_per_col = ceil($numrows / $cols);

$c = 1;
$r = 1;

while ($row = mysql_fetch_array($result)) {
$plantID = $row["plantID"];
$botanicalName = $row["botanicalName"];

if ($r == $rows_per_col) {
	$c++;
	$r = 1;
} else {
	$r++;	
}
}
$dyn_table = '<table width="750" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" border="0">';
for ($r = 1; $r <= $rows_per_col; $r++) {
$dyn_table .= '<tr>';

for ($c = 1; $c <= $cols; $c++) {
	$dyn_table .= '<td><a href="plant_details.php?plantID = ' . $plantID . '" id="plantLink">' .  $botanicalName . '</a></td>';
}
$dyn_table .= '</tr>';
}
$dyn_table .= '</table>';
?>

[ManiacDan]

You can't really do that, HTML tables are drawn row by row.

 

You could try to pivot the result set so that it goes in the order: 1,4,7,2,5,8,3,6,9.

 

You could also print three tables side by side.

 

Most sites just do what you're already doing: display is left-to-right and then top-to-bottom.  It cuts down on scrolling as well.

[wchamber22]

Yo ManiacDan,

 

I like the split into three tables option!  How do I put 1/3 of the results in one dataset, a 1/3 of the results in another, and 1/3 in another? Could you direct me to an example of such.  Thanks!

 

 

[sasa]

try

<?php
include_once "connect_to_mysql.php";
$cols = 3;
$result = mysql_query("SELECT plantID, botanicalName FROM plants ORDER BY botanicalName");
$numrows = mysql_num_rows($result);
$rows_per_col = ceil($numrows / $cols);

$c = 1;
$r = 1;

while ($row = mysql_fetch_array($result)) {
$plantID[$r][$c] = $row["plantID"];
$botanicalName[$r][$c] = $row["botanicalName"];

if ($r == $rows_per_col) {
	$c++;
	$r = 1;
} else {
	$r++;	
}
}
$dyn_table = '<table width="750" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" border="0">';
for ($r = 1; $r <= $rows_per_col; $r++) {
$dyn_table .= '<tr>';

for ($c = 1; $c <= $cols; $c++) {
	$dyn_table .= '<td><a href="plant_details.php?plantID = ' . $plantID[$r][$c] . '" id="plantLink">' .  $botanicalName[$r][$c] . '</a></td>';
}
$dyn_table .= '</tr>';
}
$dyn_table .= '</table>';
?>

[wchamber22]

Sasa >= THE MAN

 

Thanks!  I think it is working, as I only have three rows in my db as of now.

 

Looks like i was missing some array logic.

 

Thanks again. 

 

 

[Psycho]

I think this is a little more strait-forward.

 

include_once "connect_to_mysql.php";

$result = mysql_query("SELECT plantID, botanicalName FROM plants ORDER BY botanicalName");
$numrows = mysql_num_rows($result);

$max_cols = 3;
$max_rows = ceil($numrows / $max_cols);

$count = 0;
$tdData = array();
while ($row = mysql_fetch_array($result))
{
    $colIdx = floor($count/$max_rows);
    $rowIdx = $count - ($colIdx * $max_rows);
    $tdData[$rowIdx][$colIdx] = "<td><a href=\"plant_details.php?plantID={$row['plantID']}\" id=\"plantLink_{$row['plantID']}\">{$row['botanicalName']}</a></td>\n";
    $count++;
}

$dyn_table = '<table width="750" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" border="0">';
foreach ($tdData as $rowAry)
{
    $dyn_table .= "<tr>\n" . implode("", $rowAry) . "</tr>\n";
}
$dyn_table .= '</table>';

 

Note: I changed the output to make the ID parameter of the anchor tags unique. You are not supposed to have multiple elements on a page with the same ID.

[wchamber22]

Thanks to you too Psycho!

 

Everyone here has been so helpful, and it is much appreciated!