display data from database

I use the code below

$query1 = mssql_query('some query');

$tab_header .=<<<EOD
<table width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1">
<tr>
<td>Num.</td>
<td>Food Name</td>
</tr>
EOD;

$row_count=1;

while($row = mssql_fetch_array($query))
{
$foodtype = $row['foodType'];
$foodname = $row['foodName'];

if($ftype == '')
{
$ftype = $foodtype;
}

if($foodtype == $ftype)
{
$tab_details .=<<<EOD

<tr>
<td>$row_count</td>
<td>$foodname</td>

EOD;

$row_count++;
}
else
{

$tab_footer ="</table>\n";

$tab =<<<TAB
$tab_header
$tab_details
$tab_footer
TAB;

print $tab;//print the table

$ftype = $foodtype;
$row_count = 1;//start counting from 1

$tab_details .=<<<EOD

<tr>
<td>$row_count</td>
<td>$foodname</td>

EOD;

$row_count++;
}
}//end while

I would first read through the database using distinct (as mentioned by Nibinaear :thumb:). While doing this, create an array. Now loop through that array with the food types making a SQL query for each.

foreach($array_items as $item){
$query = mysql_query("SELECT * FROM `table` WHERE `foodType` = '" . $item . "'");
}