Select correct username from database PHP MySQL

Question

I am working on a PM system and I have everything down, besides figuring out how the correct person will get the correct message.

There's this code:

 $query = "SELECT to, from, rank, gender, picture, title, post FROM kaoscraft_posts WHERE to = 'username' ORDER BY msg_id DESC";

I have submitting it to the database down, and getting it, but I need to make sure the correct person gets the message.

• user3371397: @ElefantPhace I'm sorry... what more should I add in? Do I need to add the form... info on how I cna make this question better would be greatly appreciated
• ElefantPhace: What your actual problem is would help. When you say "I need to make sure the correct person gets the message." doesn't really mean anything to us
• user3371397: @ElefantPhace I see, okay. My problem is that I need to know what I should do to make the message viewable by the correct person... like, I would be able to use the user ID in other things, but the user ID isn't stored in this database. Could I use a session of username to do this?

Answer 1

to and from are reserved words which must be wrapped using backticks `

http://dev.mysql.com/doc/refman/5.5/en/reserved-words.html

$query = "SELECT `to`, `from`, rank, gender, picture, title, post FROM kaoscraft_posts WHERE `to` = 'username' ORDER BY msg_id DESC";

Yet, this

WHERE `to` = 'username'

may need to be

WHERE `to` = '$username'

which I suspect could be coming from a POST variable, which is not shown in your question.

If a part of your code resembles something to the effect of:

$username=$_POST['username'];

then use the following in its place:

WHERE `to` = '$username'

Answer 2

When inserting to the database just provide the "From" or "To" field to your database. for example

$query = "SELECT * from MESSAGES where to = '$username'"

• user3371397: Your answer helped me, but the one above solved it. Thank you
• akoDwin: That's okay. I'm happy my idea helped someone. :) The one with the most accurate answer will definitely get the points. :D