[colinsp]

I am just getting to grips with php and mysql so forgive the maybe simple question.

I have a mysql database with two tables in it names and users. I have a login page that checks the user credentials against the user table and if successful sets a session and then opens a second page displaying the data from the names table.

I developed the login script and the data display forms separately and both work perfectly. I think that I have an issue though in that both pages set a link to the database with their own msql-connect statements. I would have thought that I only need to open the database once but I can't see how to pass the database settings from one page to the other.

Do I need to worry about this or is it a performance / security / whatever issue? If so how do I pass the information?

TIA.

[TheRobatron]

It would be easier if you put both sets of data in one table, then you can select different columns from the same row. If not, you could create an ID column and link the two tables with each row in one table having a corresponding row in the other, with the same ID.

[colinsp]

Sorry maybe I didn't make myself clear. The users table contains the user id's and passwords of 5 people who have access to the data contained in the names table. Does that make any difference to your reply? I can't see how your suggestion would help with not calling the mysql-connect twice as they are two separate forms. I suppose what I am really asking is there a way to pass the open database details from one page to a second page?

[tomdkat]

I think you should study up on Persistent database connections. Get familiar with the concepts (which will also apply to MySQL) and decide if that's right for you.

Here are a couple of pages from that Google search to help get you started:

http://www.phpbuilder.com/manual/en/...onnections.php
http://www.mysqlperformanceblog.com/...nections-evil/

Peace...

[colinsp]

Thanks I'll check those links out.

[Mudley]

you could certainly try persistent connections, but i don't think you need to worry about it.
If you're on a hosted/shared environment, i wouldn't bother. Persistent connections often requires additional administration of mysql...

opening the connection, performing the query and closing the connection is fast and efficient in mysql.

[colinsp]

Mudley, Thanks for that I have just finished reading about persistent connections form the links that Tomdkat mentioned and a couple of others on Google and that was the conclusion I had come too. It is a relatively small database with only 1 or 2 concurrent users so I can't see that I will have any problems. Thanks to everyone for their help on this I will mark it as solved.

[tomdkat]

Originally Posted by Mudley

opening the connection, performing the query and closing the connection is fast and efficient in mysql.

I also agree with this.

Peace...