retrieve enum values

Hi!

I have a column type enum in mysql.
At the moment the possible values are 1,2 and 3.

I make a form for my user to modify that value, something like:
<select>
<option value='1'>1</option>
<option value='2'>2</option>
<option value='3'>3</option>
</select>

I may need to add a value 4 to the enum, and in that case I would like to
avoid modifying the code.

I would like to know it it is possible to have something like:
select possible_enum_values from table ...
and then having a loop through these values.
I can't select distinct values in that column because one value may not
exist yet and I don't want to have fake records.

I found that in the mysql doc and was wondering if there is an already
implemented php function intsead of having to parse:
" If you want to determine all possible values for an ENUM column, use SHOW
COLUMNS FROM tbl_name LIKE enum_col and parse the ENUM definition in the
second column of the output."

Any idea?

Melanie

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$descRS = mysql('describe theTableName theEnumColumn');
list($fld_name, $fld_type, $fld_null, $fld_key, $fld_default, fld_extra) =
mysql_fetch_row($descRS);
mysql_free_result($descRS);

// Values you will be interested: $fld_type (and $fld_default perhaps)
// $fld_type will be equal to = enum('1', '2', '3')

$enumValuesArr = split(',', str_replace("'", "", substr($fld_type, 5, -1)));

echo '<select>';

foreach ($enumValuesArr as $enumValue) echo "<option
value='$enumValue'>$enumValue</option>"

echo '</select>';

-----------------------------------------

Hope it gonna help!

Regards,
Nadim Attari,
Alienworkers.com
-----------------------------------------

> Hi!
>
> I have a column type enum in mysql.
> At the moment the possible values are 1,2 and 3.
>
> I make a form for my user to modify that value, something like:
> <select>
> <option value='1'>1</option>
> <option value='2'>2</option>
> <option value='3'>3</option>
> </select>
>
> I may need to add a value 4 to the enum, and in that case I would like to
> avoid modifying the code.
>
> I would like to know it it is possible to have something like:
> select possible_enum_values from table ...
> and then having a loop through these values.
> I can't select distinct values in that column because one value may not
> exist yet and I don't want to have fake records.
>
> I found that in the mysql doc and was wondering if there is an already
> implemented php function intsead of having to parse:
> " If you want to determine all possible values for an ENUM column, use
SHOW
> COLUMNS FROM tbl_name LIKE enum_col and parse the ENUM definition in the
> second column of the output."
>
> Any idea?
>
> Melanie