PHP-showing weird entries when retrieved from database

Question

I have written this PHP code but it is giving some weird result. The snippet is

$queryIsbnArr = mysql_query("select ISBN from quotation_master") or die(mysql_error());
            $row = mysql_fetch_array($queryIsbnArr) or die(mysql_error()); 
            print_r($row);
            $_SESSION['isbnArr'] = $row;

The output which the query is giving is..

Array ( [0] => 12121 [ISBN] => 12121 ) 

Where as the output which is query is giving when run on the database is

12121
56

Which is correct.What is the problem with this then?

Answer 1

Read the manual !

Returns an array of strings that corresponds to the fetched row, or FALSE if there are no more rows. The type of returned array depends on how result_type is defined. By using MYSQL_BOTH (default), you'll get an array with both associative and number indices.

mysql_fetch_array() fetches both a numerical and associative array of each row's data. You need to use or the other to get the actual data as $row contains the entire dataset as an array even if it is only one value.

$queryIsbnArr = mysql_query("select ISBN from quotation_master") or die(mysql_error());
$row = mysql_fetch_assoc($queryIsbnArr) or die(mysql_error()); 
print_r($row['ISBN']);
$_SESSION['isbnArr'] = $row;

FYI, you shouldn't use mysql_* functions in new code . They are no longer maintained and are officially deprecated . See the red box ? Learn about prepared statements instead, and use PDO or MySQLi - this article will help you decide which. If you choose PDO, here is a good tutorial .

Answer 2

It's perfectly fine, when you use mysql_fetch_array it will get you value in both places, by index and column name

and for multiple rows you have to loop through like:-

while($row = mysql_fetch_array($queryIsbnArr)){
    print_r($row);
}