Question

I feel like I may be over-thinking this solution… so I figured I’d get some additional advice. I want to query my database for a list of ‘events’ and group events that have the same date under a single header in addition, I want this ‘group’ in it’s own container. I’ve figured out the single header issue browsing other questions, but the container is giving me grief!

For Example:

This:

<div class='container'>
    <img src='event-image.jpg'>
    <h1>October 15th, 2012</h1>
    <h3>Event Name</h3>
    <p>Details</p>
    <h3>Event Name</h3>
    <p>Details</p>
    <h3>Event Name</h3>
    <p>Details</p>
</div>
<div class='container'>
    <img src='event-image.jpg'>
    <h3>Event Name</h3>
    <p>Details</p>
    <h3>Event Name</h3>
    <p>Details</p>
    <h3>Event Name</h3>
    <p>Details</p>
</div>

Not This:

<div class='container'>
    <img src='event-image.jpg'>
    <h1>October 15th, 2012</h1>
    <h3>Event Name</h3>
    <p>Details</p>
</div>
<div class='container'>
    <h3>Event Name</h3>
    <p>Details</p>
</div>
<div class='container'>
    <h3>Event Name</h3>
    <p>Details</p>
</div>
<div class='container'>
    <img src='event-image.jpg'>
    <h3>Event Name</h3>
    <p>Details</p>
</div>
<div class='container'>
    <h3>Event Name</h3>
    <p>Details</p>
</div>
<div class='container'>
    <h3>Event Name</h3>
    <p>Details</p>
</div>

This:

October 15, 2012
Event 1
Event 2
Event 3

Not This:

October 15, 2012
Event 1
October 15, 2012
Event 2
October 15, 2012
Event 3

MySQL Query:

$sql = "SELECT title, DATE_FORMAT(date, '%M %D, %Y') AS postdate, time, venue, cost, city,   spotlight, image
        FROM shows WHERE date >= $curDate
        ORDER BY date ASC, spotlight DESC LIMIT $startRow," . SHOWMAX;

HTML/PHP:

<?php 
    $prevDate = null;
    while ($row = $result->fetch_assoc()) { ?>
        <div class="content">
        <?php 
        if (!empty($row['image'])) { ?>
            <img src="/images/thumbs/<?php echo $row['image'] ?>">
        <?php 
        }

        if ($row['postdate'] != $prevDate) { ?>
            <h1><?php echo $row['postdate']; ?></h1>
            <?php $prevDate = $row['postdate'];
        } ?>
        <h3><?php echo $row['title']; ?></h3>   
        <p><?php echo $row['venue'] . " | " . $row['city'] . " | " . $row['time'] . " | " .  $row['cost']; ?></p>
        </div>
    <div class="horizontal-line"></div>
<?php } ?>

Results:

<div class="content">
<img src="/images/thumbs/defining-times-news-00.jpg">
    <h1>October 13th, 2012</h1>
    <h3>Relient K w/ Hellogoodby, William Beckett & House of Heroes</h3>    
    <p>Cain's Ballroom | Tulsa, OK | 9:00 | $10</p>
</div>
<div class="horizontal-line"></div>
<div class="content">
    <h3>Rod Steward & Stevie Nicks</h3> 
    <p>BOK Center | Tulsa, OK | 9:00 | $45</p>
</div>
<div class="horizontal-line"></div>
<div class="content">
    <h3>Gary Allan</h3> 
    <p>Hard Rock Hotel & Casino | Tulsa, OK | 9:00 | $30</p>
</div>
<div class="horizontal-line"></div>
<div class="content">
    <img src="/images/thumbs/dead-sea-choir-news-00.jpg">
    <h1>October 14th, 2012</h1>
    <h3>Nalani Proctor and Kierston White</h3>  
    <p>Bluebonnet | Norman, OK | 9:00 | $5</p>
</div>
<div class="horizontal-line"></div>
<div class="content">
    <h3>Bungalouski</h3>    
    <p>Bluebonnet | Norman, OK | 9:00 | FREE</p>
</div>
<div class="horizontal-line"></div>
    <h3>Relient K w/ Hellogoodby, William Beckett & House of Heroes</h3>    
    <p>Cain's Ballroom | Tulsa, OK | 9:00 | $10</p>
</div>
<div class="horizontal-line"></div>

I hope this isn’t too convoluted! Any help is appreciated! Thanks!

Answer 1

Try this:

$prevDate = null;
while ($row = $result->fetch_assoc()) {
    $mark = false;
    if ($row['postdate'] != $prevDate) {
        $mark = true;
        $prevDate = $row['postdate'];
    }
    ?>
    <? if ($mark) { ?>
        <div class="content">
        <? } ?>
        <? if (!empty($row['image'])) { ?>
            <img src="/images/thumbs/<?= $row['image'] ?>">
        <? } ?>

        <? if ($mark) { ?>
            <h1><?= $row['postdate']; ?></h1>
        <? } ?>
        <h3><?= $row['title']; ?></h3>   
        <p><?= $row['venue'] . " | " . $row['city'] . " | " . $row['time'] . " | " . $row['cost']; ?></p>
        <? if ($mark) { ?>
        </div>
        <div class="horizontal-line"></div>
    <? } ?>
<? } ?>