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Create single variable from while loop

I am trying to place a while loop into a variable that I can use as a single echo. What is happening is that the loop is only displaying the first record.

All db connections are in place and connected. I would appreciate it if someone could point out my error. Many thanks

if (mysql_num_rows($result1) >0) {

        $msgread = "";

        while($row = mysql_fetch_array($result1)) {

            $msgread = "<FONT COLOR='1d99f0'>" . "<b>" . $row['to_user'] . "</b>" . "</font>";
            $msgread .= "<p />";
            $msgread .= date("d/m/Y");
            $msgread .= "<p />";
            $msgread .= $row['message'];
            $msgread .= "<p />";
            $msgread .= $row['from_user'];

            }                               
            $error1 = false;
            }

            if($error1 == 0)  {

            echo $msgread;

            }

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ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION

Ray Paseur

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Ray Paseur

That said, please take a moment to learn about the concepts of "valid HTML." You really want to learn how to use CSS to style your HTML documents, too. A hardwired statement like FONT COLOR doesn't have much going for it in the 21st century.

You'll also want to get off MySQL as soon as possible. PHP is doing away with MySQL support. The reasons for this, and the alternatives that can help you keep your web site working, are documented in this article.
https://www.experts-exchange.com/Web_Development/Web_Languages-Standards/PHP/PHP_Databases/A_11177-PHP-MySQL-Deprecated-as-of-PHP-5-5-0.html

peter-cooper

ASKER

Thank you very much Ray.

Ray Paseur

You're welcome and thanks for the points. You might find this easier if you can get away from all the fiddly punctuation. Two things that can help you do that are HEREDOC notation and object notation. This script would be functionally equivalent to the snippet posted above, and IMHO would be much easier to type and read.

// IF THERE ARE ROWS FROM THE QUERY
if (mysql_num_rows($result1) > 0) 
{
    // SET UP VARIABLES FOR OUR BROWSER OUTPUT
    $msgread = NULL;
    $datenow = date('d/m/Y');

    // RETRIEVE THE ROWS INTO A ROW OBJECT
    while($row = mysql_fetch_obj($result1)) 
    {
        // FORMAT THE OUTPUT WITH HEREDOC NOTATION
        $row = <<<EOD
<FONT COLOR='1d99f0'><b>$row->to_user</b></font>
<p />
$datenow
<p />
$row->message
<p />
$row->from_user
EOD;

        // CONCATENATE THE ROW TO THE OUTPUT DOCUMENT
        $msgread .= $row . PHP_EOL;
    }
    
    // AFTER ALL ROWS ARE FORMATTED
    echo $msgread;
}

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