How to Effectively Find Tables with Variations of a Name in MySQL Using PHP

Learn how to retrieve MySQL table names that share a common base name with variations using PHP. We’ll provide a step-by-step solution to avoid common pitfalls.
---

Visit these links for original content and any more details, such as alternate solutions, latest updates/developments on topic, comments, revision history etc. For example, the original title of the Question was: PHP MySQL, Find Tables with variations of a name

If anything seems off to you, please feel free to write me at vlogize [AT] gmail [DOT] com.
---
Finding Tables with Variations of a Name in MySQL

When working with MySQL databases, it’s common to encounter situations where you need to dynamically retrieve table names based on a certain naming convention. For example, you might have tables like SCI-01-123 and SCI-01-123-1, and you want to fetch all table names that start with a specific base name, SCI-01-123. If you're experiencing trouble with your PHP code when trying to retrieve these table names, you're not alone. Let’s break down how to solve this problem effectively.

The Problem You're Facing

Suppose you are executing a SQL query to find all tables that match a specific naming pattern. However, when you count the number of results and attempt to display them, you're only seeing the first table in the results. This can lead to confusion and frustration, especially if you thought you were successfully retrieving all relevant table names from your MySQL database.

You shared the following code snippet:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

As noted above, your code shows that two rows exist but only prints the first table name. The issue lies in the way you are fetching and handling the results.

The Solution

To resolve this, you should fetch all resulting rows as an associative or numeric array instead of fetching them one by one. This ensures that you retrieve all the matched table names, not just the first one. Here's how to adjust your code:

Step-by-Step Code Adjustment

Change the Fetching Method: Instead of using fetch_assoc(), which only retrieves a single row, use fetch_all(MYSQLI_NUM) to get an array of all matching rows.

Update the Loop: Modify the loop that displays the table names.

Here is the revised code:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Explanation of the Key Changes

Use of fetch_all(MYSQLI_NUM): This retrieves all rows in the query result set as a numeric array.

Iterating Through the Results: By looping through the $array, you can access each table name by using $arr[0], which retrieves the first element of each sub-array containing table names.

Conclusion

By making these adjustments to your PHP code, you should be able to successfully retrieve all table names that include variations of your specified base name in your MySQL database. Remember, understanding how different fetch methods work in MySQL can save you time and frustration when retrieving data.

Feel free to experiment with different table naming conventions and enjoy coding! If you have any further questions, feel free to ask. Happy coding!