Trouble understanding MySQL Syntax

[scott532]

Hey people,

I am trying to figure out what this means:

[code]$sql = sprintf("SELECT COUNT(*) AS test FROM %s WHERE email = '%s' OR login = '%s'", $this->table_name, $this->user_email, $this->user);
[/code]


I have searched through my PHP book (by Eric Rosebrock) and searched the MySQL docs, but I cannot figure out, specifically, what the following are:

[ol type=\'1\'][*]What is [code]AS Test[/code] referring to?[*]What is the purpose of [code]%s[/code]?[/ol]
If someone could explain these two questions I will be greatful.

Thanks- for putting up with a [i]newb[/i],
Scott G.

[Carth]

[a href=\"http://www.php.net/sprintf\" target=\"_blank\"]sprintf()[/a] replaces %s with the variables supplied in the second parameter, in the order they are provided. So "FROM %s" will turn into "FROM $this->table_name".

The "COUNT(*) AS test" is a way of getting the number of rows returned, and it will be returned in a column called "Test", there should be something in the manual under SELECT about it

[scott532]

Thanks Carth, i get it now.