"parsing" a string from one collumn in mysql db

[valduare]

Hello, i would like to have one collumn in my db table that holds data such as pepsi,diet pepsi,coke,diet coke,sprite,root beer and what i need to do is parse it out with php so i can build a radio button for each option in that collumn.

[jazzer01]

Have you already created the table and the column? Persuming that the name of the table is `drinks` and the column is called `name`, you would have something like this:

$query = "SELECT `name` from `drinks`";
$result = mysql_query($query,$link);
while ($row = mysql_fetch_array($result)){
print "<input type='radio' name='drink' value='$row[name]' /> $row[name]";
} 

Where $link is your mysql_connect function

[valduare]

im talking about having the options.... pepsi,coke,sprite all in one line of the collumn not in individual cells.

[jazzer01]

oh right ok, sorry, misunderstood.

Ok, all you need to do is explode the string to get an array....

In this example, $list contains the string of drinks...

$list = explode("," $list); # Explode splits a string into an array by the deliminator specified (here its ",")
$x = 0;
while ($x < count($list)){ #Loop around the array
print "<input type='radio' name='drink' value='$list[$x]' /> $list[$x]";
$x++ ;
} 

Hope this helps

[valduare]

hrmm trying to get it to work keeps giving me the white screen hehe.

[valduare]

the collumn where the strings of options are located is food_description

[jazzer01]

and whats the table called?

[valduare]

food_descriptions

[jazzer01]

Ok, I'm off now anyway, but this is what you need to do:

$query = "SELECT `food_description` from `food_descriptions`";
$result = mysql_query($query,$link);
$row = mysql_fetch_array($result);
$list = $row["food_description"];
$list = explode(",", $list); # Explode splits a string into an array by the deliminator specified (here its ",")
$x = 0;
while ($x < count($list)){ #Loop around the array
print "<input type='radio' name='drink' value='$list[$x]' /> $list[$x]";
$x++ ;
} 

All that needs changing is substituting $link for the resource that holds your mysql_connect - persuming you have already connected to the DB

Post a reply if you have any issues, and I'll check back in the morning

[valduare]

it does not appear to be pulling any data hrmm.

[catweasel]

If you want to have a selection of one or more drinks make the column a "set" type.. if you want only one option from a list to be entered make the column an "enum" type. The "set" type will store the info as a comma seperated list.. all chosen from a default list of options. The enum type will only store one drink that has been chosen from a default list of options.

[valduare]

woot i got it! its working! ty guys.