Intermiediate query assistance required please

[chiprivers]

I have three tables containing details for a forum I am building, with columns including those listed below:

Table: boards
Columns: boardID | board

Table: threads
Columns: threadID | boardID | thread_title

Table: posts
Columns: postsID | threadID

On the page that lists the discussion boards I would like to display the number of threads within each board and also the total number of posts.  What would be the most efficient way to return these numbers?

[chiprivers]

Is this right:


SELECT count(*) AS c FROM posts, threads, boards WHERE posts.threadID = threads.threadID AND threads.boardID = boards.boardID

[fenway]

Not unless you don't want the zero counts... try this (assuming I have the correct hierarchy):

[code]
SELECT count(posts.ID) AS c FROM boards LEFT JOIN threads ON ( threads.boardID = boards.boardID ) LEFT JOIN post ON ( posts.threadID = threads.threadID )
[/code]