Display multiple row data within 1 row MySQL PHP - php

Question

I have the following query which pulls from 3 tables. I'll end up with 1 family per row but with multiple children for each. I want to be able to show all children ages within the family row. I thought about opening another connection/query, but figured there is a smarter way.
Query:
SELECT
families.*, job.*, children.*, families.first_name AS fam_firstname, children.first_name AS child_firstname
FROM job
LEFT OUTER JOIN families ON job.fam_id = families.fam_id
LEFT OUTER JOIN children ON families.fam_id = children.fam_id
WHERE
job.published = 2
GROUP BY job.job_id
ORDER BY job.created_on DESC
Loop:
if ($result = $mysqli->query($query)) {
$from = new DateTime($row['dob']);
$to = new DateTime('today');
while ($row = $result->fetch_assoc()) {
echo '<tr>';
echo '<td>' .$row['fam_firstname']. '</td>';
echo '<td>' .$row['last_name'].'</td>';
/* Looking to list all children ages. Separate by comma or break */
echo '<td>' . $from->diff($to)->y .'</td>';
echo '</tr>';
}
$result->free();
}
Desired Output:
Family First Name | Family Last Name | Child 1 Age, Child 2 Age

Answer 1

You need to use the mysql group_concat function to achieve this:
SELECT
families.*, group_concat(children.age)
FROM job
LEFT OUTER JOIN families ON job.fam_id = families.fam_id
LEFT OUTER JOIN children ON families.fam_id = children.fam_id
WHERE
job.published = 2
group by families.fam_id
ORDER BY job.created_on DESC

Answer 2

Follow this question: Nested Array from multiple tables.
Refer to the second option in the question, that explains how you subtract your data from the JOIN query.
P.S.
I'ts a question I've asked myself, with an implementation with what your'e trying to do here. If you need more lead on how to implement it here, ask in comments...
Here is a way to implement it in your code (notice you should order your JOIN query by "fam_firstname", for this code to work for you):
/* init temp vars to save current family's data */
$current = null;
$fam_firstname = null;
$children = array();
while ($row = mysql_fetch_assoc($result))
{
/*
if the current id is different from the previous id:
you've got to a new family.
print the previous family (if such exists),
and create a new one
*/
if ($row['fam_firstname'] != $fam_firstname )
{
// in the first iteration,
// current (previous family) is null,
// don't print it
if ( !is_null($current) )
{
$current['children'] = $children;
/*
Here you print the whole line
I'm just dumping it all here, but you can print
it more nicer...
*/
var_dump($current);
$current = null;
$fam_firstname = null;
$children = array();
}
// create a new family
$current = array();
$current['fam_firstname'] = $row['fam_firstname'];
/*
Add more columns value here...
*/
// set current as previous id
$fam_firstname = $current['fam_firstname'];
}
// you always add the phone-number
// to the current phone-number list
$children[] = $row['child_firstname'] . " is " . $row['child_age'] . " years old";
}
}
// don't forget to print the last family (saved in "current")
if (!is_null($current))
/*
Here you print the whole line
I'm just dumping it all here, but you can print
it more nicer...
*/
var_dump($current);