Trying to ad a online table, what should it be set to?

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Ok, i am adding a table to the users table called online.
So when they login it will set (online) to Y and when they logout it will be set to N.

But what should it be created as, it will be updated often and i need to beable to read it from my php in the Members online section?
varchar(50), int(10), or Text...

And how do i call the results of it not in text Y but in total.
Like lets say there is a total 50 users=Y so it will PRINT 50.

I have tried several times but i keep getting eather 9empty) or (Y) Not the total as 8

I created the table like this:
[PHP]ALTER TABLE users
ADD online varchar(1) default 'N';[/PHP]

And call it like this:
[PHP]$sql="SELECT online FROM users WHERE online = $Y";
$result = mysql_query($sq l ,$db);[/PHP]

And call it:
[PHP]<?php printf($online) ; ?>[/PHP]

is there a special way to count the value of Y and skip N

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I just tried again i cant seem to get the number to pop not the ip or what ever that is...

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Anyone got an idea on how to fix this?