[HELP] retrieve TREE structure from mysql db

[ghiro]

as subiect says, i already know how to print a tree structure using a
recursive function but what i want is to save the results in a
multidimensiona array so i will be able to format them in a table with
graphic etc

the funciont that i am using to simple print the structure is:

function display_children($parent, $level) {
// retrieve all children of $parent

$result = mysql_query('SELECT titolobreve,id FROM categorie '.
'WHERE parent="'.$parent.'";');

// display each child
while ($row = mysql_fetch_array($result)) {
// indent and display the title of this child
echo str_repeat('- ',$level).$row['titolobreve']."\n<br>";

display_children($row[id], $level+1);
}
}

thanks!!!