php: echo command behaviour

ChrisScott · 08-04-2007, 07:47 AM

Hi All,

I've just started trying to teach myself php. I've come across a problem where 'echo' does not seem to stop at the semi-colon i.e.

Code:

                <?php
		
		$username="root";
		$password="*********";
		$database="testdb";

                mysql_connect(pandaemonium,$username,$password);
		@mysql_select_db($database) or die( "Unable to select database");

		$query = "SELECT title FROM page WHERE ref = 1";
		$result = mysql_query($query);

		mysql_close();
		
		echo "<h2>$result</h2>";
		?>

is displayed in the browser as:
"$result"; ?>"

The predeclared css for h2 does not appear to have any effect on it. Do I need a '?php h2:' css entry?

Also, If I view source in firefox it shows the full php - including my MySQL password - I was not expecting that. Has the php been executed at all?

In MySQL the query correctly returns a string. This is what I want displayed.

Any tips would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Chris.

jiml8 · 08-04-2007, 12:30 PM

$result is what php calls a resource. I don't know the internal details of this resource because I have never attempted to actually look at it.

It would appear though that echo is bombing on the content of this resource.

You are supposed to pass the resource to one of the php commands that processes it, such as mysql_fetch_array, or mysql_fetch_row, or one of the others. You can then print the results of the fetch. Visit php.net to learn more.

chrism01 · 08-04-2007, 07:28 PM

You can also think of it as a ptr or handle if that helps.
Basically, it's just an address, not the actual (data) value.
HTH