Why does my query result repeat 3 times? - php

Question

the code i have below basically behaves as a friend search engine where you can add someone if you don't have them on you account. So i am trying to do the following: If exists it should just display the friend and if not then it should say add friend.
I got it to work but the tail end of the query (please see this comment "//Problem code - when i use this echo below this where it repeats 3 times") is giving me trouble where it repeats Add 3 times.
<?php
$num_rows1 = mysql_num_rows($result);
if ($result == "") {
echo "";
}
echo "";
$rows = mysql_num_rows($result);
if ($rows == 0) {
print("<div id=norequests>No results for <strong>$q
</strong></div>");
}
elseif ($rows > 0) {
while ($row = mysql_fetch_array($query))
{
$person = htmlspecialchars($row['full_name']);
$linksys = htmlspecialchars($row['name']);
$pid = htmlspecialchars($row['system_id']);
}
print("");
}
}
else{
echo '<div id="error">No results.</div>';
}
$sql = "SELECT `Friend_id` from `friends_container`
WHERE `System_id` = '$sid'";
$result = mysql_query($sql);
$query = mysql_query($sql) or die("Error: " . mysql_error());
if ($result == "") {
echo "";
}
echo "";
$rows = mysql_num_rows($result);
if ($rows == 0) {
print("");
}
elseif ($rows > 0)
{
while ($row = mysql_fetch_array($query))
{
$existing = htmlspecialchars($row['Friend_id']);
if ($existing == $pid) {
echo("<img src=$linksys />$person - Already Existing");
}
else
//Problem code - when i use this echo below this where it repeats 3 times
{
echo("Add $person");
}
}
?>

Answer 1

You must have 3 images stored for each account.
Your query will always result in a multiple result. what you should do is use php to convert it to something which will result in a better option or say convert the result in an array for convenience.