mysql_query return TRUE on empty table

Question

$rs = mysql_query("SELECT user, userid FROM House WHERE userid='$userid'");

This return Resource id #37 The table House is empty, shouldn't it return FALSE? According to the manual http://php.net/manual/en/function.mysql-query.php

I have always gotten FALSE on error, but not this time. Can someone explain, thanks!

Phil · Accepted Answer · 2011-08-17 22:57:29Z

8

If there is nothing wrong with your query, then mysql_query() will not return false. An empty result set is not an error.

Calling any of the fetch functions against that result will return false. mysql_num_rows() will return 0.

answered Aug 17, 2011 at 22:57

Phil

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1 Comment

Thanks! I did not know that. It's kinda weird that I have coded like this for so long without having problems.

Eriksberger · Accepted Answer · 2011-08-17 23:01:22Z

4

For SELECT, SHOW, DESCRIBE, EXPLAIN and other statements returning resultset, mysql_query() returns a resource on success, or false on error.

For other type of SQL statements, INSERT, UPDATE, DELETE, DROP, etc it returns trueon success or false on error.

answered Aug 17, 2011 at 23:01

Eriksberger

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