question about mysql_fetch_array ()

[William Gill]

given the query:

SELECT * FROM customers
left join addresses
on customer.cusid=addresses.cusid

The mysql monitor returns all fields from both tables, including
repeating the field matching the on condition (cusid).

mysql_fetch_array() does not return the matching field from the joined
table.

If I use the using() conditional I get the same non repeated result, in
both mysql monitor and mysql_fetch_array().

Is it safe rely on this non repeating property of the
mysql_fetch_array() function?

I'm not sure it really makes a difference since data assignment would be
in the form of DataFromField= $row["cusid"], but I have learned from
experience that thinking something will never make any difference is risky.

[Erwin Moller]

William Gill schreef:

given the query:

SELECT * FROM customers
left join addresses
on customer.cusid=addresses.cusid

The mysql monitor returns all fields from both tables, including
repeating the field matching the on condition (cusid).

mysql_fetch_array() does not return the matching field from the joined
table.

If I use the using() conditional I get the same non repeated result, in
both mysql monitor and mysql_fetch_array().

Is it safe rely on this non repeating property of the
mysql_fetch_array() function?

I'm not sure it really makes a difference since data assignment would be
in the form of DataFromField= $row["cusid"], but I have learned from
experience that thinking something will never make any difference is risky.

Stop using * and all is fine.
If you have a column that is named the same in both tables, use 'as' to
diffentiate.
Allthough I never use msql, my guess is that mysql_fetch_array() will
overwite the values of the first returned column when it parses the
second: eg:
$RS[0]["cusid"] = ...
$RS[0]["cusid"] = ...
So the first is gone.

Solution: do not use *, it is sloppy, slower, and just lazy.

Regards,
Erwin Moller

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Erwin Moller
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[larry]

I ran into that especially if you use a lot of left joins.. what I do
now is i make sure the correct value is assigned in my query:

MySQL code includes lines like:

SELECT ...
b.fieldname AS fieldname
....
FROM....
btable AS b
....

where the are multiple instances of fieldname in various tables, but
btable has the known true value.