How to display db results as options in HTML dropdown with PHP and Mysqli?

Question

I am trying to to let users choose the state filed from a drop down in the form, but although the query works, the DB is connected, the drop down does not display the list.

Not sure if relevant but i'm running Windows Server, IIS 10 and the latest PHP and MySql.

<div class="form-group col-md-3">
    <label for="state">State</label>
    <select class="form-control" name="state" id="state">
                                            
    <?php  
    // Query to find STATE
    $sql1 = "SELECT * FROM codetable WHERE category = 'state'";
    $result1 = $conn->query($sql1);

    $row1 = mysqli_fetch_array($result1);

    while($row1 = mysqli_fetch_array($result1))  
        {  
            echo '<option value=" '.$row1['code'].' "> '.$row1['description'].' </option>';  
         }
     ?>
    </select>
</div>

I expect the list from the DB to be in the dropdown, but it is empty (No dropdown list).

Why do you have an extra call to `mysqli_fetch_array()` before the loop? That will skip the first row. — Barmar, May 29 '19 at 19:28

jtylerm · Answer 1 · 2019-05-29T19:57:28.617

0

Get rid of $row1 = mysqli_fetch_array($result1); before your while loop and replace the loop with this...

while($row1 = mysqli_fetch_array($result1))  
{  
    ?>
        <option value="<?php echo $row1['code']; ?>"><?php echo $row1['description']; ?></option> 
    <?php
}

Echoing HTML isn't a good practice. Break it up with PHP tags when possible, it'll make your code much easier to debug.

edited May 29 '19 at 19:57

answered May 29 '19 at 19:35

jtylerm

482
4
15

Follow-up: How do I display the DB record in the edit form, and still allow for the drop-down to work for updates? – Ricardo Matos May 30 '19 at 02:07

score 0 · Accepted Answer · answered May 29 '19 at 20:01

0

delete your first

$row1 = mysqli_fetch_array($result1);

line & put your two variables(result & row1) in var_dump to get debug

answered May 29 '19 at 20:01

Nima Ka

163
10

How to display db results as options in HTML dropdown with PHP and Mysqli?

2 Answers2