select and echo a single field from mysql db using PHP

Im trying to select the title column from a particular row

$eventid = $_GET['id'];
$field = $_GET['field'];
$result = mysql_query("SELECT $field FROM `events` WHERE `id` = '$eventid' ");
echo $result;

all i get is Resource id #19

How should i do this? What is best method?

From stackoverflow

• Try this:

  echo mysql_result($result, 0);
  

  This is enough because you are only fetching one field of one row.

  Patrick : says parameter count invalid

  jensgram : `mysql_result($result, 0)` for the first (and only) row.

  Franz : True. Edited it. But shouldn't this usually work for the first row if I don't explicitly state it.

  jensgram : @Franz Nope, the second argument is not optional, cf. http://php.net/manual/en/function.mysql-result.php

  Franz : Ah, I see. Ok. Thanks.

• And escape your values with mysql_real_escape_string since PHP6 won't do that for you anymore! :)

• $eventid = $_GET['id'];
  $field = $_GET['field'];
  $result = mysql_query("SELECT $field FROM `events` WHERE `id` = '$eventid' ");
  $row = mysql_fetch_array($result);
  echo $row[$field];
  

  but beware of sql injection cause you are using $_GET directly in a query

• Read the manual, it covers it very well: http://php.net/manual/en/function.mysql-query.php

  Usually you do something like this:

  while ($row = mysql_fetch_assoc($result)) {
    echo $row['firstname'];
    echo $row['lastname'];
    echo $row['address'];
    echo $row['age'];
  }