Create Unordered List from View Query? - php

Question

I have a query that will produce the results I need:
SELECT SHOW_NAME, YEAR, CLASS_NAME FROM vwhandlerresults WHERE HANDLER_ID = $gethandlerid ORDER BY YEAR DESC
SHOW_NAME YEAR CLASS_NAME
Show 1 2013 Class 1
Show 1 2013 Class 2
Show 2 2013 Class 1
Show 3 2012 Class 1
etc. etc.
I want to create a 3 level unordered list in php so that I can have something similar to the following:
2013
Show 1
Class 1
Class 2
Show 2
Class 1
2012
Show 3
Class 1
I have searched and searched, and can't get my head around it at all. I managed it to one level (Year -> Show). From searching, I get the feeling I might need an array?
Thanks
Gray

Answer 1

Technically, you don't need to build an array in advance. You can do it as the data is fetched from the DB using a simple-ish "state machine".
echo '<ul>';
$oldyear = null;
$oldshow = null;
while($row = fetch_result($result)) { // grab a row of DB data
if ($oldyear != $row['year']) {
echo "<li>{$row['year']}<ul>";
}
if ($oldshow != $row['show']) {
echo "<li>{$row['show']}<ul>";
}
echo "<li>{$row['class']}</li>";
}
NOTE: this will NOT work as is, it's just to give you a general idea of what'd be needed if you choose to go this route
However, if you choose to go with the array route, it'll be a bit more work upfront, but vastly simplify the output logic:
$data = array();
while($row = fetch_row($result)) {
$year = $row['year'];
$show = $row['show'];
$data[$year][$show][] = $row['class'];
}
echo '<ul>'
foreach($years as $year => $shows) {
echo '<li>', $year, '<ul>';
foreach($shows as $show) {
echo '<li>$show<ul>';
foreach ($show as $class) {
echo '<li>', $class, '</li>';
}
echo '</ul>';
}
echo '</ul>';
}
echo '</ul>';