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Quick Tutorial on Displaying SQL Query Results

This quick tutorial illustrates using functions that generate HTML to create start and end table rows. This is a technique, creating three functions, two to create the start (including header row) and end table sections and a middle section generated by looping construct that outputs HTML table rows filled in with data. This is great for standardizing and gaining control over the HTML tables your applications generate. A lot better than a bunch pages with code randomly strewn through HTML tables. It keeps the code in one place, it keeps you pages simple by only having to drop a function call into it where you want the table. YOu can take advantage of the function to set the appearance or names of table headings.

Tip:  It's a good practice to name all functions that generate HTML starting with "make_". This makes it clear which functions output HTML.

<?php
function make_users_table_start() {
    $content = '<table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="1"
     cellpadding="2" bgcolor="#000000">
<tr bgcolor="#e7e7d6">
<td><font face="Verdana,Arial,sans-serif"
 size="-1"><strong>User Name
 </strong></font>

 </td><td><font 
 face="Verdana,Arial,sans-serif" size="-1">
 <strong>Name</strong></font></td><
 td><font face="Verdana,Arial,sans-serif" size="-1">
 <strong>Email Address</strong></font></td>

 <td><font face="Verdana,Arial,sans-serif" size="-1">
 <strong>Member Group</strong></font></td><td>
 <font face="Verdana,Arial,sans-serif" size="-1">
 <strong>Member Since</strong></font>

 </td>';
    return $content;
}

function get_alt_row_color($i,$light_color="#ffffff",$dark_color="#E6EFFD") {
if ($i % 2 == 0) {
        return $light_color;
    } else {
        return $dark_color;
    }
} 
?>
 

The get_alt_row_color() function adds a little eye candy and readability to the table.

<?php
function make_users_table_end() {
$content = '</table>';
return $content;
}

function browse_users() {
$sql = "SELECT
 user_id, user_pass, personal_name, family_name,
 user_group, email_address,
 DATE_FORMAT(date_created, $date_format) AS member_since
  FROM user ORDER BY user_id DESC";
$result=mysql_query($sql);
if (!$result) {
    print mysql_error()." ERROR - browse query failed.";
}

while($row = mysql_fetch_array($result)) {
        $content .= '<tr bgcolor="'. get_alt_row_color($line_count). '">';
        $content .= '<td class="normalprint"><font
         face="Verdana,Arial,sans-serif" size="-1">' ."\n";
        $content .= '<a href="user-detail.php'. make_sid()
         .'&user_id='. $row[user_id] .'">'. $row[user_id]
          .'</a></font></td>

         <td class="normalprint"><font face="Verdana,Arial,sans-serif"
          size="-1">'. $row[personal_name] .' '. $row[family_name];
        $content .= '<td class="normalprint"><font
         face="Verdana,Arial,sans-serif" size="-1">' ."\n";
        $content .= $row[email_address];
        $content .= "</font>\n\t</td>\n";
        $content .= '<td class="normalprint"><font
         face="Verdana,Arial,sans-serif" size="-1">' ."\n";
        $content .= $user_group[$row[user_group]];
        $content .= "</font>\n\t</td>\n";
        $content .= '<td class="normalprint"><font
         face="Verdana,Arial,sans-serif" size="-1">'.
          $row[member_since] ."</td>\n";
        $content .= "</font>\n\t</td>\n</tr>\n";
        $line_count++;
    }
}    
?>
 

Adding the output of this query is as easy as adding three funtion calls to a PHP page. It doesn't even matter hwat directory it's in.

<?php
  print make_users_table_start();

  print browse_users($start_list);

  print make_users_table_end();
?>
 

Tip:  Don't forget the print statement! Otherwise, you'll get nothing.

Or you can create a wrapper function for all of them. Place it anywhere on any PHP page and you're ready to go!

<?php
function browse_box() {

  print make_users_table_start();

  print browse_users($start_list);

  print make_users_table_end();
}
?>
 

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