mysql select distinct query in PHP

Question

$sql = "SELECT DISTINCT Branch FROM student_main";
    $result = mysql_query($sql);
    $row_num = mysql_num_rows($result);
    $rows = mysql_fetch_array($result);
    echo "<select name='Branch'>";
    for($i=0;$i<=$row_num-1;$i++){
        echo "<option value='".$rows[$i]."'>".$rows[$i]."</option>";

    }
    echo "</select>";
    echo "<input type='submit' Value='submit' />";
    echo "</form>";

I am trying to create a dropdown using the above code for my form. But its not working. There are 3 distinct values in the Branch column but in the dropdown, it shows only one value(the first one) and the next two as blank values.

However when in echo $row_num, its shows 3.
Thats means its fetching the three rows, but then why its not showing in the dropdown list.

If I run the same query in phpmyadmin it shows the correct answer i.r it returns 3 distinct Branch values.

Answer 1

You should do something like this:

$sql = "SELECT DISTINCT Branch FROM student_main";
$result = mysql_query($sql);

echo "<select name='Branch'>";
while ($row = mysql_fetch_array($result)) {
    echo "<option value='".$row[0]."'>".$row[0]."</option>";
}
echo "</select>";

echo "<input type='submit' Value='submit' />";
echo "</form>";

Answer 2

you need to mysql_fetch_array() for each row. That function returns an associative array for one row only. just include it inside your for loop just above your echo statement.

edit: mysql_fetch_array() actually returns an array (by default) that has associative indices and numbered indices. You can continue using it the same way, though.