Counting issue

[dsbpac]

I'm having an issue counting a table with table columns listed as numbers.

 

 

I have a table called timetable with fields 1, 2, 3, 4 so on.

If I try to count like this

<?php

$query = "SELECT 96, COUNT(96) FROM timetable WHERE 96='blah'"; 
$result = mysql_query($query) or die(mysql_error());
while($row = mysql_fetch_array($result)){
	echo " (". $row['COUNT(96)'] .")";
}
?>

It will return the value as zero.

If i change the columns from 96 to name like

<?php

$query = "SELECT name, COUNT(96) FROM timetable WHERE name='blah'"; 
$result = mysql_query($query) or die(mysql_error());
while($row = mysql_fetch_array($result)){
	echo " (". $row['COUNT(96)'] .")";
}
?>

It will return the correct value?? Thank you for any help

[kicken]

If you have a column literally named '96', you are doing something horribly wrong. In your queries 96 is going to be treated as a numeric value, not a column name. 96='blah' is false and would match no rows.

[dsbpac]

There is not some type or work around that I can do in order for it to ready these as values?

[jcbones]

There is, but the greater question is in your database design.  If you have 96 columns in your table, then I suggest that your database isn't normalized. http://http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGMwuOtRfqU&list=PL196FE5448948D9B4 <-data logic modeling (9 vids, must watch).

 

The work around is to use backticks (`) around the column name.