Hi, sorry for the 2nd query today. https://dev.mysql.com/doc/refman/8.0/en/regexp.html I'm looking at the REGEXP screens and am a bit puzzled. Basically all the examples shown are very similar to preg_match in PHP. long bit of text, find short bit of text - if its included etc.. However, I cannot see an example of how this is effective / used in a SELECT of a MYSQLI database/table. it's only rexgexp'ing against straight strings.. ive got a current SQL - which uses JOINS. $sql = "SELECT Users.Username, Entities.*, Teams.* FROM Teams LEFT JOIN Users ON Users.PlayerID = Teams.PlayerID LEFT JOIN Entities ON Entities.PlayerID = Teams.PlayerID WHERE Teams.TeamID='$teamnumber';"; This works pretty well. except i'm wanting to add a regexp into it. Basically a regexp where Teams.playerID does NOT begin with "*" (shifted-8) similar to: if(! preg_match("/\*/",$team[playerID]) { get all the records in the joined table } I'll also copy the SQl in another table where playerID DOES match * (shift-8) In both situations the PlayerID starts with * (or doesn't start with *) 1) get the team ID (primary start number) 2) get all PlayerID's with NO stars at the start of their player-Id 3) Do the joining and get the resulting data Do the same 3 steps except I'm selecting players WITH a * at the start of their player Id's - i'll select from a different table name. -- Gordon.
