PHP: mysql_insert_id()

Sometimes it is necessary to get the ID value of the last record you inserted into a MySQL database.

For example, let’s say you have a shopping cart function that added records into the database. But you need to print out a receipt that includes the item tracking number. And this tracking number would be the record’s ID value, which is also the PRIMARY KEY of the table.

An easy way to do this in PHP is by using the function mysql_insert_id().
NOTE: This will only work for AUTO_INCREMENT fields.

Pretend STEP 1 is a form with a list of items. If you change the QUANTITY of the item, and submit, you will be at STEP 2, which is the sample code below.
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if $IE

I was working on a web project and I usually start with Firefox to test things. Then Safari, Chrome, and then IE. By the time I got to IE, I noticed that my hard work was just not viewable. Argh. So I tweeted out:

function browserCh() 
{ 
     $a = $_SERVER['HTTP_USER_AGENT']; 
     $IE = ((eregi("MSIE",$a) || eregi("Microsoft",$a)))==1; 

     if($IE) 
        return 'Bad Browser!';
}

I got a laugh at some of the responses.. :)

@honging : daynah, i prefer: <style type="text/css">* html body { display: none; }</style> ;)

@j_holtslander: @daynah that was kinda hot. LOL.

@robflynn43: @daynah Haha, browserCh() made me happy. You win a high five, redeemable any time you see me. =)

@ialexs@daynah :D (re: bad browser)

iPhone App Review: PHP Ref

Name: PHP Ref
Written By: Joseph Frizalone
Category: Utilities
Price: $.99
Size: 1.3 MB
Requirements: iPhone / iPod Touch

This is a great app for any PHP developer. It’s a quick reference to all 5149 standard PHP functions. You can search for a function or scroll through a list of them. Tap on the function and a description of its purpose and parameters will be displayed. The only improvement I would like is an example of how the function can be used. Other than that, it’s pretty nice.

How to Connect to a MySQL Database using PHP

I was helping my coworker yesterday to create her first PHP-Database program. She already knew how phpMyAdmin worked, so I created a sample page for her to show how to connect to the database and then retrieve data from a query. Maybe this sample page could help you too. I commented as much of the code as I could. Let me know if you have any questions.

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Random Splash Pages

I was looking through my email and found this email from Grace:

Hi Daynah! It’s me, Grace. I would like to ask a question if you don’t mind -_-; Sorry if I am bothering you. I would like to ask if how can I make random splash pages with php? Or do you know any scripts I could download for
that? Thank you so much. And hope you are having a great week =)

Here is a piece of code that Albert (my boyfriend) wrote. It creates an array of random images to use. It’s pretty simple to modify if you want to create random splash pages. If you have comments/questions, please leave them below.

<?php

// Function name: randomimage($showimage)
// Purpose: Create an array with random data for an image
// Use: Please link http://php-princess.net/
function randomimage($showimage)
{

    // ARRAY OF SPLASH IMAGES
    $bgimages = array('images/splash1.jpg','images/splash2.jpg',
                      'images/splash3.jpg','images/splash4.jpg',
                      'images/splash1.jpg','images/splash2.jpg',
                      'images/splash3.jpg','images/splash4.jpg');

    $bgtext = array ('Picture of Splash 1','Picture of Splash 2',
                     'Picture of Splash 3','Picture of Splash 4',
                     'Picture of Splash 1', 'Picture of Splash 2', 
                     'Picture of Splash 3', 'Picture of Splash 4');

    $bgmax = count($bgimages)-1;

    // Check if viewing additional image option is 
    // set / look for non-integer value passing
    if ((!isset($showimage)) || (!ereg ("^[0-9]{1,2}$", $showimage)))
    {
        srand((double)microtime()*1000000);    
        print_r($names);  

        srand ((double) microtime() * 10000000);

        $rand_keys = array_rand ($bgimages, 2);

        // obtain random image from array
        $bgimage = $bgimages[$rand_keys[0]];
        $bgalt   = $bgtext[$rand_keys[0]];
        $bgkey   = $rand_keys[0];
    }    

    return array($bgimage,$bgalt,$bgkey);
}

// Creates a list of the variables with random image 
list($bgimage,$bgalt,$bgkey) = randomimage($showimage);

// Put printout into variable $mainbody
$mainbody = '';

// Print out $mainbody
print "$mainbody";

?>