PHP: EREG() function and databases

[crashnet]

Many are probably familiar with the ereg() function in php:

Example:

PHP Code:

ereg("^word$|^help$|^test$|^keys$", $_GET['$size']) 


Now here's my problem. I am checking for image sizes that are admin defined and stored in a table in a database. $size is the size the visitor selects when searching for an image, but because they are admin defined sizes, I don't know what they are nor do I know how many of them there are. How would I go about pulling the sizes from the database so I can check $size to be sure it is one of the available sizes?

I hope this makes sense. It was the best way I could describe my situation.

[degsy]

Create a recordset first to pull the size table from the database. You can then loop through it or create an array or function to compare sizes.

[crashnet]

Thank you Degs for your response. While playing with this, I came up with another question. Is there really even a need to check that the value of $size is equal to one of the sizes in the database? $size gets its value from a dropdown menu, and that menu is populated by the same table in the database used to check it, but I have seen in other examples in the past that variables that get their values from select menus in a form are still checked, even though the programmer, the administrator, and the user all know that the contents of that variable is going to be one of the options.

This is part of a search script that will be used very frequently, so I'm going for as little code as possible to save resources and increase speed.

Thanks again!

[degsy]

If you know the values then you don't neccessarilly have to check them. The problem is if a user saves the page to their drive and edit's it and changes the values. That is why you should have validation just incase.

[crashnet]

Hmm...never would have thought of that. Thanks Degsy.