sorting row data in table PHP? - php

Question

i have a table being echo'd from a single query to a table in our database and i get it to echo out the following table;
http://www.skulldogs.com/dev/testview.php
i want it to sort the "yellow" rows under the correct green rows where the "mainToon" name matches for example:
high voltege
--REAL MCCOY
--Cpt Hook
riazall
-- Valeside
my code to echo the above page is;
<?php
$result = mysql_query("SELECT * FROM `members`");
echo "<table border='1'>
<tr>
<th>Character ID</th>
<th>Name</th>
<th>MainToon</th>
<th>toonCategory</th>
</tr>";
while ($row = mysql_fetch_array($result)) {
$characterID = $row['characterID'];
$name = $row['name'];
$startDateTime = $row['startDateTime'];
$logonDateTime = $row['logonDateTime'];
$logoffDateTime = $row['logoffDateTime'];
$location = $row['location'];
$role = $row['role'];
$vouchedBy = $row['vouchedBy'];
$positionHeld = $row['positionHeld'];
$remarks = $row['remarks'];
$afkNotice = $row['afkNotice'];
$toonCategory = $row['toonCategory'];
$mainToon = $row['mainToon'];
$watch = $row['watch'];
if ($toonCategory == 'Main Toon') {
echo "<tr bgcolor='#00FF00'>"; }
else {
echo "<tr bgcolor='#FFFF00'>"; }
echo "<td>" . $characterID . "</td>";
echo "<td>" . $name . "</td>";
echo "<td>" . $mainToon . "</td>";
echo "<td>" . $toonCategory . "</td>";
echo "</tr>";
}
echo "</table>";
?>
at the moment i am not echo the other data until i can figure out how to display this table accordingly. can it be done this way?
this is how i want to display the table;
http://www.skulldogs.com/dev/mockup.php

Answer 1

Add an ORDER BY clause to your sql:
SELECT * FROM `members` ORDER BY toonCategory;
If there are other values above and below "Main Toon", You can order by a boolean:
SELECT * FROM `members` ORDER BY toonCategory = 'Main Toon' DESC;
EDIT:
Now I see what you are after as you have put up the example, try:
SELECT * FROM `members` ORDER BY CONCAT(MainToon, Name);
if the blank spaces are empty strings or:
SELECT * FROM `members` ORDER BY COALESCE(MainToon, Name) DESC, Name;
if the blank rows are null.

Answer 2

Try SELECT * FROM members ORDER BY toonCategory;