Which ways best

[SummerLuvSammie]

Hello everyone, i would very much appreciate some advice regarding how im writing php.

Now, i notice a few different ways. the following are two examples of how i have come accross different ways to write it.

Example 1

$sql = mysql_query("SELECT * FROM future ORDER BY id ASC") or die (mysql_error());
while ($row = mysql_fetch_array($sql)) {
   
$title = $row["exhibition_name"];
$artists = $row["artists"];
$date = $row["date"];
$description = $row["description"];
        
        
echo '
<p>'.$title.'</p>
<p>'.$artists.'</p>
<p>'.$date.'</p>        
<p>'.$description.'</p>
';
}         
?> 

Example 2

$sql = "SELECT * FROM future ORDER BY id ASC;";
$result = mysql_qyery($sql);
$row = mysql_fetch_assoc($result);

echo" <p>".$row['exhibition_name']."</p>";
echo" <p>".$row['artists']."</p>";
echo" <p>".$row['date']."</p>";
echo" <p>".$row['description']."</p>";

?> 

Now, i find example 1 a breeze, and visually its more organised and easy to read. I get a bit confused with example 2 and find that i always hav more errors this way, as its easier to miss off commas etc.

What is the best way, is one more professional than the other???

Many Thanks,
Sam

[redsox9]

Without looking too closely at the code, there is no "best" way to write this. Unless you plan to share this code with others and a universal format is desired, go with what works for you. Over time, you will learn what makes the most sense. Just my $0.02...

[areidmtm]

IMO, this is what I'd do.

$sql = "SELECT exhibition_name, artists, date, description FROM future ORDER BY id ASC;";
$result = mysql_qyery($sql);
$row = mysql_fetch_array($result);

echo '<p>' . $row[0] . '</p>';
echo '<p>' . $row[1] . '</p>';
echo '<p>' . $row[2] . '</p>';
echo '<p>' . $row[3] . '</p>'; 

You could also use the row names

echo '<p>' . $row['exhibition_name'] . '</p>';
echo '<p>' . $row['artists'] . '</p>';
echo '<p>' . $row['date'] . '</p>';
echo '<p>' . $row['description'] . '</p>'; 

But as redsox said, there really isn't necessarily a "best" way.

[wallaceb]

IMO, this is what I'd do.

$sql = "SELECT exhibition_name, artists, date, description FROM future ORDER BY id ASC;";
$result = mysql_qyery($sql);
$row = mysql_fetch_array($result);

echo '<p>' . $row[0] . '</p>';
echo '<p>' . $row[1] . '</p>';
echo '<p>' . $row[2] . '</p>';
echo '<p>' . $row[3] . '</p>'; 

You could also use the row names

echo '<p>' . $row['exhibition_name'] . '</p>';
echo '<p>' . $row['artists'] . '</p>';
echo '<p>' . $row['date'] . '</p>';
echo '<p>' . $row['description'] . '</p>'; 

But as redsox said, there really isn't necessarily a "best" way.

i myself personally always use the names. the reason is, it helps you know what that variable is. $row[3] is not very descriptive, and it is harder to know exactly what data is saved in it. but $row['exhibition_name'] is very very clear to exactly what the variable is storing. good programming uses variable names that are as descriptive as possible

[areidmtm]

good programming uses variable names that are as descriptive as possible

I've been programming for over 10 years and I consider myself a good programmer with good programming skills. I understand your point that it's easier to know what the variable is. That might be good if you're reselling your code to someone that might make changes or edit the code your wrote.

The code that I have coded were for people that we're(can't) going to edit them. Copyrights and contracts prohibits that. When I look at my code and see $row[0], I know exactly what that is because I wrote it. I always found it simpiler to write $row[0] rather than $row['variable_name'] again since I already wrote it once in the select statement.

Just my option, either way works and neither is better then the other.

Sometimes obscurity is security.