Displaying data horizontally using php and mysql - php

Question

Hi I'm attempting to display data retrieved from a mysql table horizontally in an html table using php. The code below works well except for the fact that it leaves out the first record (starts at the second record) in my database. I'm sure it has something to do with the counter but I can't seem to figure out how to get it to stop doing this. If anyone can point out my error I'd really appreciate it!
$items = 5;
$query = "SELECT * FROM members ";
$result = mysql_query($query)
or die(mysql_error());
$row = mysql_fetch_array($result);
if (mysql_num_rows($result) > 0) {
echo '<table border="1">';
$i = 0;
while($row = mysql_fetch_array($result)){
$first_name = $row['first_name'];
if ($i==0) {
echo "<tr>\n";
}
echo "\t<td align=\center\">$first_name</td>\n";
$i++;
if ($i == $items) {
echo "</tr>\n";
$i = 0;
}
}//end while loop
if ($i > 0) {
for (;$i < $items; $i++) {
echo "<td> </td>\n";
}
echo '</tr>';
}//end ($i>0) if
echo '</table>';
}else {
echo 'no records found';
}

Answer 1

try and remove the 1st
$row = mysql_fetch_array($result);
you are calling it twice, that's why it skips 1 row in your while loop

Answer 2

try this simpler.
$items = 5;
$query = "SELECT * FROM members ";
$result = mysql_query($query) or die(mysql_error());
if (mysql_num_rows($result) > 0) {
echo '<table border="1">';
while($row = mysql_fetch_array($result)){
$first_name = $row['first_name'];
echo "<tr>";
for ($i=0 ; $i <= $items ;$i++) {
echo "<td align='center'>".$first_name."</td>";
}
}//end while loop
echo "</tr>";
echo '</table>';
}else{ echo 'no records found'; }

Answer 3

I have run into this issue before. Try the do while loop instead. Example
do {
// code
} while($row = mysql_fetch_array($result)); //end while loop

Answer 4

$row = mysql_fetch_array($result);
1) remove this line of code from ur scripts
2) only use while loop code instead.