Having SQL join problems!

Question

I have got a master recordset and this is the SQL for it:
SELECT fld_contentID, fld_contentPAGE, fld_contentIMGSLDR, fld_contentTITLE, fld_contentTOP, fld_contentPODL, fld_contentPODR, fld_contentBOTTOM, fld_contentBGIMG, fld_contentSHOW, fld_contentDATE
FROM tbl_content
WHERE fld_contentPAGE = '1'
ORDER BY fld_contentDATE DESC
This works fine. I can populate the page with the content that I want.
I have a second table with secondary information within it for promotional needs. This table serves what I am referring to as 'pods' of info. I am trying to pull and join content from the table called tbl_pods using the unique ID of the pod record and joining it with a field in the tbl_content table, and that field is called fld_contentPODL. Here's the code:
SELECT *
FROM tbl_pods
JOIN tbl_content ON tbl_content.fld_contentPODR = tbl_pods.fld_podID
WHERE fld_podID = podrvar
Name: podrvar
Type: Interger
Default value: %
Run-time Value: $_GET['tbl_content.fld_contentPODL']
I have tried every variation of JOIN that I can think of, but it just won't work with a dynamic default value. If I give a specific default value of 1, instead of %, then it works as expected, but only by being specific which means it's not loading the variable dynamically.
Can somebody please highlight the problem with my join statement, cos this is driving me mental!
Is there something wrong with my master table tbl_contents. I can't see that there is as I am using the field fld_contentPODL to hold the unique ID of the pod, so surely I can join the tables on that! Am I passing data incorrectly? I didn't think I was as I am asking to join the data of tbl_pods to the data of tbl_contentPODL, which should work.
Thanks in advance.
Mat

Answer 1

What I mean by dynamic default value is the content of the field in the record which is effectively the 'master' instruction to load the content of the JIONed table record using the field fld_podID (in tbl_pods). Basically, as you put it, the runtime value. I used % as an example just because I have tried loads of other things! I normally use -1 which DW sets by default.
So, my database is like this:
Main page content is held in a table called: tbl_content
fld_contentID - INT (primary key) - Value eg: 1 to what ever!
fld_contentTITLE - VARCHAR - Value eg: About us
fld_contentTOP - VARCHAR - Value eg: Blah blah blah
fld_contentPODL - INT - Value eg: 1 (or 2 or 3 etc based on how many records I have in tbl_pods.fld_podID)
The 'pods' content is held in a table called: tbl_pods
fld_podID - INT (primary key) - Value eg: 1 to what ever!
fld_podNAME - VARCHAR - Value eg: Book for Xmas
fld_podCONTENT - VARCHAR - Value eg: We're taking bookings now, so get in touch to ensure you don't miss out.
What I am trying to do is JOIN tbl_content.fld_contentPODL to tbl_pod.fld_podID and then display the runtime content associated with the record so I can display 'Book for Xmas, We're taking bookings now...'
Here's my page code:
<?php require_once('Connections/conn_t3pi.php'); ?>
<?php
if (!function_exists("GetSQLValueString")) {
function GetSQLValueString($theValue, $theType, $theDefinedValue = "", $theNotDefinedValue = "")
  if (PHP_VERSION < 6) {
    $theValue = get_magic_quotes_gpc() ? stripslashes($theValue) : $theValue;
  $theValue = function_exists("mysql_real_escape_string") ? mysql_real_escape_string($theValue) : mysql_escape_string($theValue);
  switch ($theType) {
    case "text":
      $theValue = ($theValue != "") ? "'" . $theValue . "'" : "NULL";
      break;   
    case "long":
    case "int":
      $theValue = ($theValue != "") ? intval($theValue) : "NULL";
      break;
    case "double":
      $theValue = ($theValue != "") ? doubleval($theValue) : "NULL";
      break;
    case "date":
      $theValue = ($theValue != "") ? "'" . $theValue . "'" : "NULL";
      break;
    case "defined":
      $theValue = ($theValue != "") ? $theDefinedValue : $theNotDefinedValue;
      break;
  return $theValue;
mysql_select_db($database_conn_t3pi, $conn_t3pi);
$query_rs_content = "SELECT * FROM tbl_content WHERE fld_contentPAGE = '1' ORDER BY fld_contentDATE DESC";
$rs_content = mysql_query($query_rs_content, $conn_t3pi) or die(mysql_error());
$row_rs_content = mysql_fetch_assoc($rs_content);
$totalRows_rs_content = mysql_num_rows($rs_content);
$podlvar_rs_podl = "-1";
if (isset($_GET['tbl_pods.fld_podID'])) {
  $podlvar_rs_podl = $_GET['tbl_pods.fld_podID'];
mysql_select_db($database_conn_t3pi, $conn_t3pi);
$query_rs_podl = sprintf("SELECT * FROM tbl_pods JOIN tbl_content ON tbl_content.fld_contentPODL = tbl_pods.fld_podID WHERE tbl_content.fld_contentPODL = %s", GetSQLValueString($podlvar_rs_podl, "int"));
$rs_podl = mysql_query($query_rs_podl, $conn_t3pi) or die(mysql_error());
$row_rs_podl = mysql_fetch_assoc($rs_podl);
$totalRows_rs_podl = mysql_num_rows($rs_podl);
?>
<!DOCTYPE HTML>
<html>
<head><title>Untitled Document</title></head>
<body>
<h1 class="pinyon"><?php echo $row_rs_content['fld_contentTITLE']; ?></h1>
    <?php echo $row_rs_content['fld_contentTOP']; ?>
    <p><a href="http://localhost/~matthewstuart/ThreePigeons/page.php?ID=1">link</a></p>
  <h4><?php echo $row_rs_podl['fld_podNAME']; ?></h4>
  <p><?php echo $row_rs_podl['fld_podCONTENT']; ?></p>
</body>
</html>
<?php
mysql_free_result($rs_content);
mysql_free_result($rs_podl);
?>
I've made the SQL bold so it's easier to pick out. Yeah, I am at a loss as I can make the correct content appear if I physically type the correct runtime ID, but if I have a runtime that is loaded by the master record, then it doesn't show anything. I can't figure out why! I am sure I just have something switched around either in the JOIN or in the WHERE, but I don't know what though.
Thanks.
Mat