While Loop in SQL query - php

Question

I'm not sure why this SQL query is not working.
I'm new to SQL/PHP so please forgive.
mysql_query("
SELECT * FROM table WHERE name = " . "'Bob'" .
while($i < $size)
{
$i++;
echo "OR name = '";
echo $array[$i] . "'";
} .
" ORDER BY id DESC "
);
Dreamweaver gives me an error saying it is not correct but does not tell me what is wrong.
Is it possible to put a while loop into an sql command?

Answer 1

you can not use a while in a string
$where = "";
if ($size > 0)
{
$where .= " WHERE ";
}
while($i < $size)
{
$i++;
$where .= "OR name = '".$array[$i]."' ";
}
$query = "SELECT * FROM table WHERE name = '".Bob."'".$where." ORDER BY id DESC";
mysql_query($query);
(this code is not tested)

Answer 2

Woot !
You just can't write this :D
Build your OR condition before writing the query and it will be just fine:
$myCondition = " ";
while($i < $size) {
$i++;
$myCondition .= "OR name = '" . $array[$i] . "'";
}
mysql_query(
"SELECT * FROM table WHERE name = " . "'Bob'" . $myCondition . " ORDER BY id DESC ");

Answer 3

echo is to output the string, and it won't return the string.
Something like $str = "aaa" . echo "bbb"; won't work.
For you case, use IN will be better.
foreach ($array as &$name) {
$name = "'".mysql_real_escape_string($name)."'";
}
mysql_query("SELECT * FROM table WHERE name IN (".implode(',', $array).")");

Answer 4

Or use
"SELECT * FROM table WHERE name IN(".implode( ',', $array).")";