Pulling Data From A Database

[Guest]

I have a phpmyadmin database named FLOW. I have a table in that database named NAMES. I have a form that has the below code in it:

 

<td><b>Assign To:</b> <br><input type="text" name="name" size="15" maxlength="30" value="" /><br /> </td>

 

 

My question is, how would I edit this code to pull the data from the table listed above for the value?

[Jessica]

SELECT * FROM NAMES

[Guest]

for the value=" " Is there any way for me to randomly insert a name in there each time the form is displayed in a browser? I have a list of 5 names I'd like to randomly be displayed. Is that possible?

[MDCode]

In your query you can use ORDER BY RAND() but will make your site slow with large tables.

[Jessica]

If it's always going to be just those 5, just stick them in an array and use shuffle.

[Barand]

or

 

<?php
$mysqli = new mysqli('host', 'user', 'pwd', 'database');
$sql = "SELECT name FROM names ORDER BY RAND() LIMIT 1";
$res = $mysqli->query($sql);
$row = $res->fetch_row();
$randomName = $row[0];
$res->free();
?>

<td><b>Assign To:</b> <br><input type="text" name="name" size="15" maxlength="30" value="<?=$randomName?>" /><br /> </td>

Edited December 13, 2012 by Barand

[Guest]

ok, I think I've just about got it with all of your help & thanks! Below is my code:

 

<?php
$mysqli = new mysqli('localhost', 'myusername', 'mypassword', 'flow');
$sql = "SELECT names FROM clerk_names ORDER BY RAND() LIMIT 1";
$res = $mysqli->query($sql);
$row = $res->fetch_row();
$randomName = $row[0];
$res->free();
?>

<td><b>Assign To:</b> <br><input type="text" name="clerk_names" size="15" maxlength="30" value="<?=$randomName?>" /><br /> </td>

 

In the mysql databse the databse name is flow. The table the names are listed in is named clerk_names & the only fields in thei table is names & clerk_id. When I put the above code in a form & display it in a browser, in the Assign To: field the value shows <?=$randomName?> instead of the result from the query...have I mistyped something? Thanks again for any help or assistance provided.

[MDCode]

Sounds like you don't have short tags enabled.

[Barand]

Note

:

Starting with PHP 5.4, short echo tag

<?=

is always recognized and valid, regardless of the

short_open_tag

setting.

 

Prior to that, if short tags disabled, you need

<?php echo $var ?>

Edited December 14, 2012 by Barand

[MDCode]

That's why I said sounds

[Guest]

still don't get it.... why isn't it returning the sql results in the form value?

[Barand]

Is the file name ending with ".html" or ".php"

[Guest]

It ends in .php

 

And I'm using php 5.3.5

Edited December 14, 2012 by wantabe2

[MDCode]

If your short tags setting is disabled you will need to follow barand's suggestion here:

 

 

Prior to that, if short tags disabled, you need

<?php echo $var ?>

[Muddy_Funster]

what do you get if you do this?

<?php
$mysqli = new mysqli('localhost', 'myusername', 'mypassword', 'flow');
$sql = "SELECT names FROM clerk_names ORDER BY RAND() LIMIT 1";
$res = $mysqli->query($sql);
$row = $res->fetch_row();
$randomName = $row[0];
$res->free();
$tableRow =<<<TABLE
<td>
<b>Assign To:</b> <br>
<input type="text" name="clerk_names" size="15" maxlength="30" value="$randomName" /><br />
</td>
TABLE;
echo $tableRow;

Edited December 14, 2012 by Muddy_Funster

[Guest]

If I try that code I get the below error:

 

Parse error: syntax error, unexpected T_SL in C:\wamp\www\gflow\officer_query\assign_test.php on line 204

 

on line 204 the code is:

 

$tableRow =<<<TABLE

 

thanks

[Guest]

Where would I add:

<?php echo $var ?>

 

in the code I've tried adding it several places & get random errors.

[Guest]

Oh, never mind..I got it LOL

I'll give it a try thanks

[Guest]

I got it working thanks to all your help & thanks again!!! I do have one question though..in this line of code:

 

$sql = "SELECT names FROM clerk_names ORDER BY RAND() LIMIT 1";

 

 

The limit 1 at the end of the line, what does that do? If I change it to 2 or 3 what does that do? I have 10 names in the database to randomly choose from, is there any way to change this number so the same name will not be chosen twice without starting at the begining of the DB again? Or in other words, any way to change it so a name can not be chosen twice without all names have already been chosen?

[MDCode]

LIMIT 1 will only gather 1 row from the table. So LIMIT 2 or 3 will gather 2 or 3. The query will not gather the same row twice.

Edited December 14, 2012 by SocialCloud

[DavidAM]

$sql = "SELECT names FROM clerk_names ORDER BY RAND() LIMIT 1";

The limit 1 at the end of the line, what does that do? If I change it to 2 or 3 what does that do?

 

That query will select 1 random row from the table and return it

 

I have 10 names in the database to randomly choose from, is there any way to change this number so the same name will not be chosen twice without starting at the begining of the DB again? Or in other words, any way to change it so a name can not be chosen twice without all names have already been chosen?

 

That is not a random selection. To do that, you will have to keep track of each row that is returned and exclude it from the selection until all of the rows are excluded. Then remove the exclusions and begin again

 

 

LIMIT 1 will only gather 1 row from the table. So LIMIT 2 or 3 will gather 2 or 3. The query will not gather the same row twice.

 

So, on the 11th run, what happens? Does the query fail?

Of course it will return the same row twice! It is even conceivable that it will return the same row twice in succession.

[MDCode]

Really? Because all my querys that do almost the same thing never return the same row.

[Christian F.]

I think the two of you might be misunderstanding each other a bit: SocialCloud was stating (as I understood it) that the query would not return duplicate copies the same row, in the same result set, when using LIMIT > 1. While DavidAM stated that it will return the same row(s) on subsequent executions, and possibly even as soon as the very next one.

Both of which are indeed correct.