mysql_query problems

I’m having trouble with the line that starts with $dept_name. $dept_name seems to be getting the array index, instead of the value that is in the department_name table. If I type the sql command into the command line the result is correct. I’m trying to get a name, like Accounting, not a number, as I’m getting now. When I just do this: print $row["dept_id"];
I get the correct numerical value.

I had this:

$result = mysql_query ("SELECT * FROM jobs");

print ("<table>");
if ($row = mysql_fetch_array($result)) {
do {
print ("<tr><td bgcolor=#cccccc>");
print $row["position_name"];
print ("</td><td>");
print ("<b>");
print $row["dept_id"];
print ("</b>");
$dept_name = mysql_query ("SELECT department_name FROM dept_info WHERE dept_id = '$row["dept_id"]'");
print $dept_name;
print ("</td></tr>"); }
while($row = mysql_fetch_array($result)); }
else {print "Sorry, no records were found!";}

print ("</table>");
$result = mysql_query ("SELECT * FROM jobs");

Someone suggested to change the line to:

$selectquery = "SELECT department_name FROM dept_info WHERE dept_id = " . $row["dept_id"];
$dept_name = mysql_query($selectquery);

But I’m still getting the numeric array index.

Read the manual... that's what you are supposed to get. mysql_query returns a result index that you use to in the various mysql_fetch functions to get the results.

I really don't understand why this is a problem since you did the query from the jobs table correctly.. fetching the result into the array $row.

Try this:

list($dept_name)=mysql_fetch_row(mysql_query("select department_name from dept_info where dept_id = '$row[dept_id]'"));