Trying to group up results of a SQL multi table query - php

Question

alright best way for me to explain is by giving an example
Table 1
ID | name | class
-------------------------
1 | first name | a
2 | second name | b
Table 2
ID | name_id | meta_key | meta_value |
-------------------------------------------------------
1 | 1 | image | someImage.jpg |
2 | 1 | description | very long description |
3 | 2 | image | someImage_2.jpg |
4 | 2 | description | very long description 2 |
I am trying to select name and class from Table 1, and also all the records from Table 2 that has the same name_id as ID (in Table 1).
Here is the query i have now:
SELECT
table1.name,
table1.class,
table2.name_id,
table2.meta_key,
table2.meta_value
FROM
table1
LEFT JOIN
table2 ON ( table1.ID = table2.name_id )
WHERE
table1.ID = '2'
This works and return an array with as many elements as the Table 2 entries that has name_id = 2
Is there a way to return an array with 1 the result from first table, and another array with results from the second table ?
Update:
The ideal results will be:
$result['table1'][0] = array('name' => 'second name',
'class' => 'b')
$result['table2'][0] = array('name_id' => 2,
'meta_key' => 'image',
'meta_value' => 'someImage_2.jpg')
$result['table2'][1] = array('name_id' => 2,
'meta_key' => 'description',
'meta_value' => 'very long description 2')
hopes that makes sense.

Answer 1

I'd split the result array AFTER fetching it from the database...
//Assuming your result-set is assigned to $result:
$table1_keys = array('id', 'name', 'class');
$table2_keys = array('id', 'name_id', 'meta_key', 'meta_value');
$table1_results = array();
$table2_results = array();
foreach($result as $key => $val) {
if(in_array($key, $table1_keys)) {
$table1_results[] = $val;
}
if(in_array($key, $table2_keys)) {
$table2_results[] = $val;
}
}
After this, your result-set should be split into two arrays: $table1_results and $table2_results.
Hope this helps you.

Answer 2

I don't believe there's a way to do it in SQL but I'd label each table so it can be done generically in PHP.
SELECT
':table1',
table1.name,
table1.class,
':table2',
table2.name_id,
table2.meta_key,
table2.meta_value
FROM ...
Although personally I'd just do this.
SELECT 'table1', table1.*, ':table2', table2.*
FROM ...
That makes it easier to duplicate entire rows between client and server and reduces maintenance when you decide to add a new field.
However in your query you are duplicating table1 for each row returned so perhaps this would be better.
SELECT
table1.*,
table2a.meta_value AS image,
table2b.meta_value AS description
FROM
table1
LEFT JOIN
table2 AS table2a ON ( table1.ID = table2a.name_id AND table2a.meta_key = 'image' )
LEFT JOIN
table2 AS table2b ON ( table1.ID = table2b.name_id AND table2b.meta_key = 'description' )
WHERE
table1.ID = '2'