Question

    function get_total_adults() {     $sql = 'SELECT SUM(number_adults_attending) as number_of_adults FROM is_nfo_rsvp';     $result = mysql_query($sql) or die(mysql_error());     $array = mysql_fetch_assoc($result);      return $array['number_of_adults']; } 

I know there is a way to write this with less code. I’m just looking for the best way (without using something like ezSQL).

Answer 1

function get_total_adults() {     $sql = 'SELECT SUM(number_adults_attending) FROM is_nfo_rsvp';     $result = mysql_query($sql) or die(mysql_error());     // I'd throw a catchable exception (see below) rather than die with a MySQl error      return mysql_result($result, 0); } 

As to how I’d rather handle errors:

function get_total_adults() {     $sql = 'SELECT SUM(number_adults_attending) FROM is_nfo_rsvp';     $result = mysql_query($sql);     if (!$result) {         throw new Exception('Failed to get total number of adults attending');     }      return mysql_result($result, 0); }  try {     $total_adults = get_total_adults(); } catch(Exception $ex) {     die('Whoops! An error occurred: ' . $ex->getMessage());     // or even better, add to your template and dump the template at this point } // continue code