[SOLVED] echoing multiple arrays

[maxxtraxx]

Not sure if this is the correct forum for this but here goes:

 

I have a products table that I want to echo the results of 3 different categories, I can query the db just fine and get results for a single category, but I'm a newb to PHP and don't know the trick way to do slick recursion.

 

so far i've got:

 

<?php

 

    $query1 = "SELECT group_id, name from products where group_id = 1";

        $result1 = mysql_query($query1);

?>

 

and then down in my page where i want to display the results i've got:

 

  <table width="500" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0">

  <?php

    while($row = mysql_fetch_array($result1)){    ?>

  <tr>

  <?php

echo ('<td width="163">');

echo ("$row[name]");

echo ('</td>');

    ?>

  </tr>

</table>

 

i know this isn't what i want/need, but its what i've got so far.  what i want is to create a table with 3 columns that display the results of my products for each seperate category.

 

thanks in advance!

 

 

 

[teng84]

<?
$query1 = "SELECT group_id, name from products where group_id = 1";
$result1 = mysql_query($query1);
echo '<table>
  <tr>
    <td>field1</td>
    <td>field2</td>
    <td>field3</td>
  </tr>'

while($row = mysql_fetch_array($result1)){
echo '<tr>
	<td>'.$row[name].'</td>
	<td>'.$etc.'</td>
	<td>'.$etc.'</td>
  </tr>';
}
echo '</table>';
?>

 

try it that way better note: not tested

[liebs19]

To keep doing it the way you originally had it do something like this:

 

<table width="500" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0">
<?php
     while($row = mysql_fetch_array($result1))
     {     
?>
   <tr>
   <td width="163">
   <?=$row['group_id'];?>
   </td>
   </tr>
   <tr>
   <td width="163">
   <?=$row['name'];?>
   </td>
   </tr>
   <tr>
   <td width="163">
   <?=$row['whatever'];?>
   </td>
   </tr>
<?php
    }
?>
</table>

[teng84]

To keep doing it the way you originally had it do something like this:

 

<table width="500" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0">
<?php
     while($row = mysql_fetch_array($result1))
     {     
?>
   <tr>
   <td width="163">
   <?=$row['group_id'];?>
   </td>
   </tr>
   <tr>
   <td width="163">
   <?=$row['name'];?>
   </td>
   </tr>
   <tr>
   <td width="163">
   <?=$row['whatever'];?>
   </td>
   </tr>
<?php
    }
?>
</table>

 

this way of coding may be good but this is dirty  and hard to maintain you should separate PHP from HTML

[liebs19]

I guess it is all about personal choice. I posted it this way to show that he could continue with it the way he was in his original post. I use echo when i only need to do a few lines of code out, but when it is something like a table with multiple columns or an entire form it saves me a lot of typing to drop out of php and do the straight HTML. Both will work, just do whatever one makes sense to you.

[teng84]

I work in a team and that kind of coding is strictly prohibited that is very dirty

I use variables them echo it on my html but putting together just the way you want

LOL i guess my team leader will yell at me like mad  any way do what you want but this is a tip

its better to do it on separate manner 

[liebs19]

Yeah, definately you need to do whatever your team has for rules. However, when coding by yourself you should do whatever is easiest for you.

[teng84]

nah. what ever  :-\  remember there is good but still there is better which you have to learn ??? i guess tru process youll understand why its better to do it separately. im not going to argue so do it your way

[liebs19]

I understand how to do it with everything in echo. Its is just easier for me to understand for certain things by dropping out of php. Both of them get you the same results, so one is not "better" than the other. I use both while coding. I'm not trying to argue that it is better to drop out of php. I'm simply stating that it is more important that you can read your code than which method you use.

[maxxtraxx]

wow, awesome, thank you very much for all your help! 

 

Is there a book or site you can point me to for some "best practice" coding methods, i.e.- separating your PHP from HTML, things like that?

 

phpfreaks, rule!