retrieving values from mysql database

[technohamster]

i want to retrieve a specific value from a record in my mysql database. i tried using select like this:

$displayname = mysql_query("SELECT name FROM users WHERE username = '$userid'");

but it just outputs: resource id #4 or something like that. how do i actually retrieve the display name as a string, stored in the record that has the username to match the one in the variable $userid? do u still have to use select or is there another mysql function that will do the job?

[genericnumber1]

http://www.phpfreaks.com/forums/index.php/topic,95441.0.html