stuck with replies to msg's

[ThomasJSmart]

hello,
i would very much apreciate any help anyone can give me with the following conundrum.

i'll keep it simple.

i have a msgboard. all posts are saved into a database. i can get the messages out and display these like this:

1- msg 1

2- msg 2

3- msg 3

BUT now i want to add the option to reply to a message. the replies have to be shown with the origional like this:

1 - msg1
- reply 1
- reply 2

2- msg 2

3- msg3
- reply 1
- reply 2
- reply 3

iv tried adding a new field called 'reply' to the database, if 'reply' == 0 then it is an original post. if it is a reply then the "reply" field holds the ID for the origional post.

i started of thinking this would be very logical but now im stuck :-(

how do i get it to work??

if you have the time please explain, this is of more use to me than a chunk of code ;-) many thanks.


I learned a bit yesterday, today i learned a lot, imagine what i'll learn tomorrow!

 

[sleipnir214]

You're on the right track with the idea of the reply column.

It seems pretty straighforward. On any page on which a reply might be made to a post, store the thread it on the page somewhere.

Then use that data in your insert query.

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http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

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[ThomasJSmart]

sorry was i a bit to vague on the end, iv got the insert part, its the display part im stuck with,

thanks,

I learned a bit yesterday, today i learned a lot, imagine what i'll learn tomorrow!

 

[sleipnir214]

You may not be able to do it in a single SQL query -- you'll likely have to do some looping in PHP.

The easiest way in the long run would be to use recursion.

Want the best answers? Ask the best questions:

http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

TANSTAAFL!

 

[ThomasJSmart]

recursion? let me check the php manual on that.

I learned a bit yesterday, today i learned a lot, imagine what i'll learn tomorrow!

 

[sleipnir214]

I doubt there is anything in the PHP manual about recursion, except to say that PHP supports it. Recursion is a programming technique, not a PHP function.

Now, after getting after DaRNCaT about asking fundamental questions in thread434-528064, do you want me to answer or let you figure it out for yourself?

Want the best answers? Ask the best questions:

http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

TANSTAAFL!

 

[ThomasJSmart]

im going to go check google for recursion first, if i get stuck on anything specific i'll be back

I learned a bit yesterday, today i learned a lot, imagine what i'll learn tomorrow!

 

[sleipnir214]

<sarcasm type=&quot;ironic&quot; delivery=&quot;smug&quot;>
I dunno...It'd be awfully tempting to answer, &quot;Go read a book&quot;, and let you stew in your own juices.
</sarcasm>

Want the best answers? Ask the best questions:

http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

TANSTAAFL!

 

[ThomasJSmart]

thats ok, iv got it working already.

I learned a bit yesterday, today i learned a lot, imagine what i'll learn tomorrow!