Query not running - php

Question

I wonder if anyone can spot what is going wrong here? The first query has been tested and is working because I can print out the $groups array, but the 2nd one will not run. When I hard code the $groups array it runs fine.
require ('mysqli_connect.php'); // Connect to the db.
echo '<p>If no record is shown, this is because you had an incorrect or missing entry in the search form.<br>Click the back button on the browser and try again</p>';
//Coming from another page
$uninum=$_POST['uninum'];
$sname=$_POST['sname'];
$groups = array ( );
$count = count ($groups);
$q1 = "SELECT `groupid` FROM `groups`
WHERE `uninum` = '".$uninum."'";
$result1 = #mysqli_query($dbcon,$q1);
while ($row1 = mysqli_fetch_array ($result1, MYSQLI_ASSOC)){
$groups[] = $row1['groupid'];
}
for ($i = 0; $i < $count; $i++){
$q = "SELECT participants.sname, participants.uninum,
groups.groupid
FROM participants
INNER JOIN groups ON
participants.uninum = groups.uninum
WHERE groups.groupid ='".$groups[$i]."'";
$result = #mysqli_query ($dbcon, $q); // Run the query.
if ($result) { // If it ran, display the records.
// Table header.
echo '<table>
<tr>
<td><b>Edit</b></td>
<td><b>Surnname</b></td>
<td><b>University ID</b></td>
<td><b>Group</b></td>
</tr>';
// Fetch and display the records:
while ($row = mysqli_fetch_array($result, MYSQLI_ASSOC)) {
echo '<tr>
<td>Edit</td>
<td>' . $row['sname'] . '</td>
<td>' . $row['uninum'] . '</td>
<td>' . $row['groupid'] . '</td>
</tr>';
}
echo '</table>'; // Close the table.
mysqli_free_result ($result); // Free up the resources.
echo "<br><br>";
} else { // If it did not run OK.
// Public message:
echo '<p class="error">The current users could not be retrieved. We apologize for any inconvenience.</p>';
// Debugging message:
echo '<p>' . mysqli_error($dbcon) . '<br><br>Query: ' . $q . '</p>';
}
}

Answer 1

$groups = array ( );
$count = count ($groups);
$count is always equal zero

Answer 2

Try removing # with mysqli_query also $groups array will not start looping until your count is greater then zero.
if you var_dump($count) it will return zero.
$count = count ($groups);
var_dump($count);
You should count array after the query returns result set, right after ending while loop
$q1 = "SELECT `groupid` FROM `groups` WHERE `uninum` = '".$uninum."'";
$result1 = #mysqli_query($dbcon,$q1);
while ($row1 = mysqli_fetch_array ($result1, MYSQLI_ASSOC)){
$groups[] = $row1['groupid'];
}
// count here
$count = count ($groups);