Perl communicating with mysql database

OK
The database contains 3 columns with the names "member", "password" and "email"
Now for creating new accounts, I will need to check the "member" column to see if the member name already exists. How do I specifically choose the "member" column to see if $login==$member.

how much info do you need? kinda a general question. have you looked at the DBI module for mysql? check out the mysql docs page and look for info there. www.mysql.org

if you have a more specific question, let me know.

I don't undersand why that is so General?
All I need to do is check under the MEMBER column in my database to see if the login name trying to be created already exists.

I can't tell you how to code it in Perl, but the query would be something like:

select * from table where member=login

if you get a row returned then you know that it's been used. if no row is returned than it hasn't.

This may help a little bit with the Perl coding:

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana,Arial,Helvetica">code:</font><HR><pre>
use DBI;

$dbh=DBI->connect("dbi:mysql:$serverName:$databaseName",$mysqlUsername,$mysqlPassword");
$sth=$dbh->prepare("select * from $tableName where member='$login'");
$sth->execute;
if($row=$sth->fetchrow_arrayref){
# Username already taken
print "Sorry.";
}else{
# Put new username in
$dbh->do("insert into $tableName values ('$login','$password','$email')");
print "Thank you.";
}
$sth->finish;
$dbh->disconnect;
[/quote]

That code is just off the top of my head, and I haven't tested it at all, so there may be errors in it, but that should give you a good head start.

YUCK! URL

Now I know why I use PHP!!

Yes. PHP is definately more desirable for database connectivity. Perl does rock when you need to use or manipulate files/directories.