Why Does `echo()` Return \'Resource id #6\' When Using `mysql_query()` in PHP?

Echoing MySql Response: Decoding Resource Id #6 in PHP

A common challenge in PHP programming involves retrieving data from a MySql response. While using mysql_query() to execute a query, you may encounter the puzzling "Resource id #6" message when attempting to display the result using echo(). This issue occurs due to the raw nature of the mysql_query() output, which returns a resource identifier instead of the actual result data.

To address this, you must employ a fetch function to extract the desired information from the resource. Here's an example:

<code class="php">$result = mysql_query(sprintf("SELECT TIMEDIFF(NOW(), '%s') as time_delta", $row['fecha']));

if ($result) {
  $data = mysql_fetch_assoc($result);
  echo $data['time_delta'];
}</code>

This enhanced approach first executes the query, then uses mysql_fetch_assoc() to retrieve the data as an associative array. By accessing the time_delta key within this array, you can now successfully echo the desired result.

Note: While this solution provides a simple way to resolve the "Resource id #6" issue, it's recommended to migrate away from the deprecated mysql extension in favor of more modern alternatives such as PDO or mysqli. These newer options offer enhanced security, improved performance, and better support for complex database interactions.

The above is the detailed content of Why Does `echo()` Return \'Resource id #6\' When Using `mysql_query()` in PHP?. For more information, please follow other related articles on the PHP Chinese website!