TJohns.co

The Query

Joomla's database querying changed with the introduction of Joomla 1.6. The recommended way of building database queries is through "query chaining" (although string queries are still supported).

Query chaining refers to a method of connecting a number of methods, one after the other, with each method returning an object that can support the next method, improving readability and simplifying code.

To obtain a new instance of the JDatabaseQuery class we use the JDatabaseDriver getQuery method:

$db = JFactory::getDbo();
 
$query = $db->getQuery(true);

The JDatabaseDriver::getQuery takes an optional argument, $new, which can be true or false (the default being false).

To query our data source we can call a number of JDatabaseQuery methods; these methods encapsulate the data source's query language (in most cases SQL), hiding query-specific syntax from the developer and increasing the portability of the developer's source code.

Some of the more frequently used methods include; select, from, join, where and order. There are also methods such as insert, update and delete for modifying records in the data store. By chaining these and other method calls, you can create almost any query against your data store without compromising portability of your code.

Selecting Records from a Single Table

Below is an example of creating a database query using the JDatabaseQuery class. Using the select, from, where and order methods, we can create queries which are flexible, easily readable and portable:

// Get a db connection.
$db = JFactory::getDbo();
 
// Create a new query object.
$query = $db->getQuery(true);
 
// Select all records from the user profile table where key begins with "custom.".
// Order it by the ordering field.
$query->select($db->quoteName(array('user_id', 'profile_key', 'profile_value', 'ordering')));
$query->from($db->quoteName('#__user_profiles'));
$query->where($db->quoteName('profile_key') . ' LIKE '. $db->quote('\'custom.%\''));
$query->order('ordering ASC');
 
// Reset the query using our newly populated query object.
$db->setQuery($query);
 
// Load the results as a list of stdClass objects (see later for more options on retrieving data).
$results = $db->loadObjectList();

The query can also be chained to simplify further:

$query
    ->select($db->quoteName(array('user_id', 'profile_key', 'profile_value', 'ordering')))
    ->from($db->quoteName('#__user_profiles'))
    ->where($db->quoteName('profile_key') . ' LIKE '. $db->quote('\'custom.%\''))
    ->order('ordering ASC');

Chaining can become useful when queries become longer and more complex.

Grouping can be achieved simply too. The following query would count the number of articles in each category.

$query
    ->select( array('catid', 'COUNT(*)') )
    ->from($db->quoteName('#__content'))
    ->group($db->quoteName('catid'));

A limit can be set to a query using "setLimit". For example in the following query, it would return up to 10 records.

$query
    ->select($db->quoteName(array('user_id', 'profile_key', 'profile_value', 'ordering')))
    ->from($db->quoteName('#__user_profiles'))
    ->setLimit('10');

Selecting Records from Multiple Tables

Using the JDatabaseQuery's join methods, we can select records from multiple related tables. The generic "join" method takes two arguments; the join "type" (inner, outer, left, right) and the join condition. In the following example you will notice that we can use all of the keywords we would normally use if we were writing a native SQL query, including the AS keyword for aliasing tables and the ON keyword for creating relationships between tables. Also note that the table alias is used in all methods which reference table columns (I.e. select, where, order).

// Get a db connection.
$db = JFactory::getDbo();
 
// Create a new query object.
$query = $db->getQuery(true);
 
// Select all articles for users who have a username which starts with 'a'.
// Order it by the created date.
// Note by putting 'a' as a second parameter will generate `#__content` AS `a`
$query
    ->select(array('a.*', 'b.username', 'b.name'))
    ->from($db->quoteName('#__content', 'a'))
    ->join('INNER', $db->quoteName('#__users', 'b') . ' ON (' . $db->quoteName('a.created_by') . ' = ' . $db->quoteName('b.id') . ')')
    ->where($db->quoteName('b.username') . ' LIKE \'a%\'')
    ->order($db->quoteName('a.created') . ' DESC');
 
// Reset the query using our newly populated query object.
$db->setQuery($query);
 
// Load the results as a list of stdClass objects (see later for more options on retrieving data).
$results = $db->loadObjectList();

The join method above enables us to query both the content and user tables, retrieving articles with their author details. There are also convenience methods for joins:

• innerJoin()
• leftJoin()
• rightJoin()
• outerJoin()

We can use multiple joins to query across more than two tables:

$query
    ->select(array('a.*', 'b.username', 'b.name', 'c.*', 'd.*'))
    ->from($db->quoteName('#__content', 'a'))
    ->join('INNER', $db->quoteName('#__users', 'b') . ' ON (' . $db->quoteName('a.created_by') . ' = ' . $db->quoteName('b.id') . ')')
    ->join('LEFT', $db->quoteName('#__user_profiles', 'c') . ' ON (' . $db->quoteName('b.id') . ' = ' . $db->quoteName('c.user_id') . ')')
    ->join('RIGHT', $db->quoteName('#__categories', 'd') . ' ON (' . $db->quoteName('a.catid') . ' = ' . $db->quoteName('d.id') . ')')
    ->where($db->quoteName('b.username') . ' LIKE \'a%\'')
    ->order($db->quoteName('a.created') . ' DESC');

Notice how chaining makes the source code much more readable for these longer queries.

In some cases, you will also need to use the AS clause when selecting items to avoid column name conflicts. In this case, multiple select statements can be chained in conjunction with using the second parameter of $db->quoteName.

$query
    ->select('a.*')
    ->select($db->quoteName('b.username', 'username'))
    ->select($db->quoteName('b.name', 'name'))
    ->from($db->quoteName('#__content', 'a'))
    ->join('INNER', $db->quoteName('#__users', 'b') . ' ON (' . $db->quoteName('a.created_by') . ' = ' . $db->quoteName('b.id') . ')')
    ->where($db->quoteName('b.username') . ' LIKE \'a%\'')
    ->order($db->quoteName('a.created') . ' DESC');

A second array can also be used as the second parameter of the select statement to populate the values of the AS clause. Remember to include nulls in the second array to correspond to columns in the first array that you don't want to use the AS clause for:

$query
    ->select(array('a.*'))
    ->select($db->quoteName(array('b.username', 'b.name'), array('username', 'name')))
    ->from($db->quoteName('#__content', 'a'))
    ->join('INNER', $db->quoteName('#__users', 'b') . ' ON (' . $db->quoteName('a.created_by') . ' = ' . $db->quoteName('b.id') . ')')
    ->where($db->quoteName('b.username') . ' LIKE \'a%\'')
    ->order($db->quoteName('a.created') . ' DESC');

Query Results

The database class contains many methods for working with a query's result set.

Single Value Result

loadResult()

Use loadResult() when you expect just a single value back from your database query.

This is often the result of a 'count' query to get a number of records:

$db = JFactory::getDbo();
$query = $db->getQuery(true);
$query->select('COUNT(*)');
$query->from($db->quoteName('#__my_table'));
$query->where($db->quoteName('name')." = ".$db->quote($value));
 
// Reset the query using our newly populated query object.
$db->setQuery($query);
$count = $db->loadResult();

or where you are just looking for a single field from a single row of the table (or possibly a single field from the first row returned).

$db = JFactory::getDbo();
$query = $db->getQuery(true);
$query->select('field_name');
$query->from($db->quoteName('#__my_table'));
$query->where($db->quoteName('some_name')." = ".$db->quote($some_value));
 
$db->setQuery($query);
$result = $db->loadResult();

Single Row Results

Each of these results functions will return a single record from the database even though there may be several records that meet the criteria that you have set. To get more records you need to call the function again.

loadRow()

loadRow() returns an indexed array from a single record in the table:

. . .
$db->setQuery($query);
$row = $db->loadRow();
print_r($row);

will give:

Array ( [0] => 1, [1] => John Smith, [2] => This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., [3] => johnsmith ) 

$row['index'] // e.g. $row['2']

Notes:

1. The array indices are numeric starting from zero.
2. Whilst you can repeat the call to get further rows, one of the functions that returns multiple rows might be more useful.

loadAssoc()

loadAssoc() returns an associated array from a single record in the table:

. . .
$db->setQuery($query);
$row = $db->loadAssoc();
print_r($row);

will give:

Array ( [id] => 1, [name] => John Smith, [email] => This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., [username] => johnsmith )

$row['name'] // e.g. $row['email']

Notes:

1. Whilst you can repeat the call to get further rows, one of the functions that returns multiple rows might be more useful.

loadObject()

loadObject returns a PHP object from a single record in the table:

. . .
$db->setQuery($query);
$result = $db->loadObject();
print_r($result);

will give:

stdClass Object ( [id] => 1, [name] => John Smith, [email] => This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., [username] => johnsmith )

$result->index // e.g. $result->email

Notes:

1. Whilst you can repeat the call to get further rows, one of the functions that returns multiple rows might be more useful.

Single Column Results

Each of these results functions will return a single column from the database.

loadColumn()

loadColumn() returns an indexed array from a single column in the table:

$query->select('name'));
      ->from . . .";
. . .
$db->setQuery($query);
$column= $db->loadColumn();
print_r($column);

will give:

Array ( [0] => John Smith, [1] => Magda Hellman, [2] => Yvonne de Gaulle )

$column['index'] // e.g. $column['2']

Notes:

1. The array indices are numeric starting from zero.
2. loadColumn() is equivalent to loadColumn(0).

loadColumn($index)

loadColumn($index) returns an indexed array from a single column in the table:

$query->select(array('name', 'email', 'username'));
      ->from . . .";
. . .
$db->setQuery($query);
$column= $db->loadColumn(1);
print_r($column);

will give:

Array ( [0] => This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., [1] => This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., [2] => This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. )

$column['index'] // e.g. $column['2']

loadColumn($index) allows you to iterate through a series of columns in the results

. . .
$db->setQuery($query);
for ( $i = 0; $i <= 2; $i++ ) {
  $column= $db->loadColumn($i);
  print_r($column);
}

will give:

Array ( [0] => John Smith, [1] => Magda Hellman, [2] => Yvonne de Gaulle ),
Array ( [0] => This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., [1] => This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., [2] => This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. ),
Array ( [0] => johnsmith, [1] => magdah, [2] => ydegaulle )

Notes:

1. The array indices are numeric starting from zero.

Multi-Row Results

Each of these results functions will return multiple records from the database.

loadRowList()

loadRowList() returns an indexed array of indexed arrays from the table records returned by the query:

. . .
$db->setQuery($query);
$row = $db->loadRowList();
print_r($row);

will give (with line breaks added for clarity):

Array ( 
[0] => Array ( [0] => 1, [1] => John Smith, [2] => This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., [3] => johnsmith ), 
[1] => Array ( [0] => 2, [1] => Magda Hellman, [2] => This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., [3] => magdah ), 
[2] => Array ( [0] => 3, [1] => Yvonne de Gaulle, [2] => This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., [3] => ydegaulle ) 
)

$row['index'] // e.g. $row['2']

$row['index']['index'] // e.g. $row['2']['3']

Notes:

1. The array indices are numeric starting from zero.

loadAssocList()

loadAssocList() returns an indexed array of associated arrays from the table records returned by the query:

. . .
$db->setQuery($query);
$row = $db->loadAssocList();
print_r($row);

will give (with line breaks added for clarity):

Array ( 
[0] => Array ( [id] => 1, [name] => John Smith, [email] => This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., [username] => johnsmith ), 
[1] => Array ( [id] => 2, [name] => Magda Hellman, [email] => This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., [username] => magdah ), 
[2] => Array ( [id] => 3, [name] => Yvonne de Gaulle, [email] => This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., [username] => ydegaulle ) 
) 

$row['index'] // e.g. $row['2']

$row['index']['column_name'] // e.g. $row['2']['email']

loadAssocList($key)

loadAssocList('key') returns an associated array - indexed on 'key' - of associated arrays from the table records returned by the query:

. . .
$db->setQuery($query);
$row = $db->loadAssocList('username');
print_r($row);

will give (with line breaks added for clarity):

Array ( 
[johnsmith] => Array ( [id] => 1, [name] => John Smith, [email] => This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., [username] => johnsmith ), 
[magdah] => Array ( [id] => 2, [name] => Magda Hellman, [email] => This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., [username] => magdah ), 
[ydegaulle] => Array ( [id] => 3, [name] => Yvonne de Gaulle, [email] => This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., [username] => ydegaulle ) 
)

$row['key_value'] // e.g. $row['johnsmith']

$row['key_value']['column_name'] // e.g. $row['johnsmith']['email']

Note: Key must be a valid column name from the table; it does not have to be an Index or a Primary Key. But if it does not have a unique value you may not be able to retrieve results reliably.

loadAssocList($key, $column)

loadAssocList('key', 'column') returns an associative array, indexed on 'key', of values from the column named 'column' returned by the query:

. . .
$db->setQuery($query);
$row = $db->loadAssocList('id', 'username');
print_r($row);

will give (with line breaks added for clarity):

Array ( 
[1] => John Smith, 
[2] => Magda Hellman, 
[3] => Yvonne de Gaulle,
)

Note: Key must be a valid column name from the table; it does not have to be an Index or a Primary Key. But if it does not have a unique value you may not be able to retrieve results reliably.

loadObjectList()

loadObjectList() returns an indexed array of PHP objects from the table records returned by the query:

. . .
$db->setQuery($query);
$row = $db->loadObjectList();
print_r($row);

will give (with line breaks added for clarity):

Array ( 
[0] => stdClass Object ( [id] => 1, [name] => John Smith, 
    [email] => This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., [username] => johnsmith ), 
[1] => stdClass Object ( [id] => 2, [name] => Magda Hellman, 
    [email] => This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., [username] => magdah ), 
[2] => stdClass Object ( [id] => 3, [name] => Yvonne de Gaulle, 
    [email] => This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., [username] => ydegaulle ) 
)

$row['index'] // e.g. $row['2']

$row['index']->name // e.g. $row['2']->email

loadObjectList($key)

loadObjectList('key') returns an associated array - indexed on 'key' - of objects from the table records returned by the query:

. . .
$db->setQuery($query);
$row = $db->loadObjectList('username');
print_r($row);

will give (with line breaks added for clarity):

Array ( 
[johnsmith] => stdClass Object ( [id] => 1, [name] => John Smith, 
    [email] => This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., [username] => johnsmith ), 
[magdah] => stdClass Object ( [id] => 2, [name] => Magda Hellman, 
    [email] => This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., [username] => magdah ), 
[ydegaulle] => stdClass Object ( [id] => 3, [name] => Yvonne de Gaulle, 
    [email] => This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., [username] => ydegaulle ) 
)

$row['key_value'] // e.g. $row['johnsmith']

$row['key_value']->column_name // e.g. $row['johnsmith']->email

Note: Key must be a valid column name from the table; it does not have to be an Index or a Primary Key. But if it does not have a unique value you may not be able to retrieve results reliably.

Miscellaneous Result Set Methods

getNumRows()

getNumRows() will return the number of result rows found by the last SELECT or SHOW query and waiting to be read. To get a result from getNumRows() you have to run it after the query and before you have retrieved any results. To retrieve the number of rows affected by a INSERT, UPDATE, REPLACE or DELETE query, use getAffectedRows().

. . .
$db->setQuery($query);
$db->execute();
$num_rows = $db->getNumRows();
print_r($num_rows);
$result = $db->loadRowList();

3

Note: getNumRows() is only valid for statements like SELECT or SHOW that return an actual result set. If you run getNumRows() after loadRowList() - or any other retrieval method - you will get a PHP Warning:

Warning: mysql_num_rows(): 80 is not a valid MySQL result resource 
in libraries\joomla\database\database\mysql.php on line 344

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