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mysql_connect() and Other MySQL Functions

This section describes functions supported by the MySQL extension library, php_mysql.dll. mysql_connect() creates a connection to the specified MySQL server.

PHP's MySQL support comes from an extension library, php_mysql.dll, which offers a number of functions:

  • mysql_connect() - Connects to a MySQL server, and returns a connection resource. In most cases, you need to call it with 3 arguments like mysql_connect($server, $username, $password). $server specifies the network address of machine where the MySQL server is running. $username specifies the user login name on the MySQL server. $password specifies the password for the login name.
  • mysql_close() - Closes a MySQL connection resource. Usually, you call it with 1 parameter like mysql_close($connection), where $connection represents the connection resource to be closed.
  • mysql_get_server_info() - Returns a string of server information.
  • mysql_status() - Returns a string of server status.
  • mysql_query() - Sends a query to the server, and returns a result set resource. For example, mysql_query('SELECT * FROM MyTable WHERE ID = 10').
  • mysql_affected_rows() - Returns the number of effected rows of the given result set, if the executed query is an INSERT or UPDATE statement.
  • mysql_num_rows() - Returns the number of rows of the given result set, if the executed query is a SELECT statement.
  • mysql_fetch_array() - Fetches a row from a given result set, and returns the row as an array with both numeric index, and column name map. It will return boolean false, if there is no row left in the result set.
  • mysql_free_result() - Frees the given result set.

Last update: 2005.

Sections in This Chapter

Configuring PHP for MySQL Server Access

mysql_connect() and Other MySQL Functions

MySqlLoop.php - MySQL Functions Test

Dr. Herong Yang, updated in 2009
mysql_connect() and Other MySQL Functions