Ash certainly does raise an interesting point. :) Couldn't you just use DESCRIBE or EXPLAIN the tables through MySQL? On Sun, Mar 8, 2009 at 4:35 PM, Ashley Sheridan <ash@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>wrote: > On Sun, 2009-03-08 at 10:25 -0500, PJ wrote: > > My mysql table contains data. But I don't know how to verify what > > exactly is the data... is it an array, an integer, an alphanumeric > > character or what? > > vardump($whatever) returns null; the structure of the table is no null > > for the column fields and has been filled like this: > > $autoid = 1; > > $test = $_POST['categoriesIN']; // this can be several selections from > form > > $tstring = implode(',' , $test); > > echo $tstring.'<br />'; > > $insert_category = "INSERT INTO book_categories (book_id, categories_id) > > VALUES ($autoid, $tstring.)"; > > mysql_query($insert_category,$db); > > > > retrieval of data is: > > > > from SELECT ...snip... > > LEFT JOIN book_publisher as abc ON b.id = abc.bookID > > LEFT JOIN publishers AS c ON abc.publishers_id = c.id > > LEFT JOIN book_categories AS d ON b.id = d.book_id > > LEFT JOIN categories AS e ON d.categories_id = e.id > > > > I have included the publisher stuff - it works, whereas the category > > stuff does not... > > > > -- > > unheralded genius: "A clean desk is the sign of a dull mind. " > > ------------------------------------------------------------- > > Phil Jourdan --- pj@xxxxxxxxxxxxx > > http://www.ptahhotep.com > > http://www.chiccantine.com/andypantry.php > > > > > Surely if it is your table, you already know what types of data each > field contains? > > > Ash > www.ashleysheridan.co.uk > > > -- > PHP General Mailing List (http://www.php.net/) > To unsubscribe, visit: http://www.php.net/unsub.php > >