How Can I Loop Through a MySQL Result Set Multiple Times Using mysql_* Functions?

Looping Through MySQL Result Sets Multiple Times with mysql_* Functions

When working with MySQL result sets, it might arise that you need to iterate through them multiple times. However, by default, the mysql_* functions move the pointer to a new row after each fetch. This poses a challenge if you require the ability to go through the result set more than once.

A Novel Approach to Iterating Twice

To address this limitation, utilize the mysql_data_seek() function. This allows you to reset the result set's pointer to the beginning, enabling you to loop through the rows again. Here's a practical demonstration:

$result = mysql_query(/* Your query */);
while ($row = mysql_fetch_assoc($result)) {
    // Perform operations on the first loop...
}

// Reset the pointer to the first row
mysql_data_seek($result, 0);
while ($row = mysql_fetch_assoc($result)) {
    // Perform operations on the second loop...
}

Alternative Considerations

While this method allows multiple iterations, it's worth considering if this is the most efficient approach. It's generally preferable to perform all necessary processing within the first loop to avoid overhead. However, if multiple iterations are unavoidable, the above solution provides a straightforward means to achieve it.

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