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 Posted by David Haynes on 06/13/87 11:38 
johnny wrote: 
> hi all, 
>  
> I hope it is easier for you to answer than for me trying to explain 
> it... 
>  
> In a database I have some tables , each one has some mandatory fields 
> at the beginning and a couple at the end. 
> In the middle each table can have some additional fields from 0 to n 
> depending on how many fields have been inserted by who created the 
> table. 
>  
> Now, I need to set up a script which ,after receiving from a form the 
> table name, can print the first known fields,and all  the additional 
> ones , but I don' t want it to show the last 2 columns of the table 
> because they store sensitive or useless contents. 
>  
>  
> any tips ?  
>  
> TIA 
>  
> johnny 
>  
Sounds like you have a database design problem more than a query  
problem. With the limited details you have provided, I would suggest  
something like the following: 
 
1. have a table that contains the mandatory fields and the private ones.  
Let's call this one table 'A'. 
2. make sure that each row in the table has a unique id (in mysql, look  
at the auto_increment feature) 
3. create a second table, 'B', that will contain the arbitrary data.  
Each row in B will contain the argument value and the id from the row in  
table A that is relates to. So, you have 0 to n rows in B referencing  
the unique id of a row in A. 
 
This lets you have an arbitrary number of fields in B for each entry in  
A. Also, if you name the columns in A in  your SQL query instead of  
using '*', you can have SQL ignore the private fields on the end. 
 
If this helps, I would suggest you spend a little time looking at  
database design and the capabilities of the SQL language. 
 
-david-
 
  
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