Integrating a INNER JOIN into an existing PHP function (PHP/MySQL) - php

Question

I have an inner join working when used in SQL, however when I try to integrete it into a function in my PHP it gives me a syntax error of "unexpected '' (T_ENCAPSED_AND_WHITESPACE), expecting identifier (T_STRING) or variable (T_VARIABLE) or number (T_NUM_STRING)". The code is as follows:
echo "<table border=='1'>
<tr>
<th>Name</th>
<th>Exam Date</th>
<th>Level</th>
<th>Mark</th>
<th>Style</th>
</tr>";
while($row = mysql_fetch_array($exam_recordation))
{
echo "<tr>";
$name_query = mysql_query("SELECT DISTINCT student.name
FROM student
INNER JOIN exam ON student.email = exam.Student_email
WHERE student.email <> $row['Student_email']");
while($row = mysql_fetch_array($name_query))
{
echo "<td>" . $row['name'] . "</td>";
}
echo "<td>" . $row['examDate'] . "</td>";
echo "<td>" . $row['level'] . "</td>";
echo "<td>" . $row['mark'] . "</td>";
echo "<td>" . $row['style'] . "</td>";
echo "</tr>";
}
echo "</table>";
The reason I have the inner join there is because it requires Student_email from out of $exam_recordation for each record that it goes through. $exam recordation holds all records from the exam table that met the set conditions. I've seen from my own research that nesting queries is not the best thing to do, I don't think I am nesting queries but I am nesting while loops which to me looks to be suspiciously dangerous/bad practice. Its the only way I know how to perform this sort of function/operation.
The help I need is in working out how to get that inner join into that function. The inner join takes the name out of the student table for each email of each record that the first while loop goes through and echo's it in.

Answer 1

Basic PHP syntax: array keys in a double-quoted string can NOT be themselves quoted. e.g.
$arr = "This is an $array['reference']."
^-- ^-- incorrect
It should be either:
$arr = "This is an {$array['reference']}."; // note the {} notation
or
$arr = "This is an $array[reference]."; // Note lack of quotes.

Answer 2

Before I start, please note that mysql_ has officially become deprecated. You should move on to mysqli or pdo.
You might be closing your while loop before you originally intended... see below comments
while($row = mysql_fetch_array($name_query))
{
echo "<td>" . $row['name'] . "</td>";
} << REMOVE THIS
echo "<td>" . $row['examDate'] . "</td>"; << PHP NO LONGER KNOWS ABOUT $row
echo "<td>" . $row['level'] . "</td>";
echo "<td>" . $row['mark'] . "</td>";
echo "<td>" . $row['style'] . "</td>";
echo "</tr>";
}
You might also want to ensure that PHP is able to replace your query variable. MySQL will also need to see quotes around a string of text to make the comparison.. Try changing concatenating your query to...
$name_query = mysql_query("SELECT DISTINCT student.name
FROM student
INNER JOIN exam ON student.email = exam.Student_email
WHERE student.email <> '{$row['Student_email']}'");