//  FUNCTION getSelectFromTable
//
//  Make a select box based on value and labels in a table.
//
//  $name -> the name of the form element
//  $table -> the table to base off of
//  $labels -> Which field has the labels: Ford, GM, Fiat
//  $values -> field has the values: 1,37,99
//  $where -> option where clause that you can put in
//  $orderby -> default ordering is on the label field but you can override
//  $default -> What should the first option be if needed.
//              array x['label'] = "Make a Choice" x['value'] = ""
//              leave blank for blank...

function getSelectFromTable( $name , $table , $labels , $values , $where = -1 , $orderby = -1 , $default = null )
{

        // if we have a where clause use it if not nevermind
	if( $where == -1 || $where == null )
	{
		$where = "";
	}
	else
	{
		$where = " WHERE ".$where;
	}
	
        // if we have an order by use it other wise order by label field
	if( $orderby == -1 || $orderby == null )
	{
		$orderby = " ORDER BY ".$labels." ASC";
	}
	else
	{
		$orderby = " ORDER BY ".$orderby;
	}
	

	$temp = "";
	
        // get the labels and the values from the table
	$q = "SELECT ".$labels." as label, ".$values." as value FROM ".$table."".$where.$orderby;
	
	$qr = dbquery( $q );

        // begin building the select box

        // you can css on the #id if you want
	$temp .= "<select class=\"form_element\" name=\"".$name."\" id=\"".$name."\">";

        // build the first option if this is null then we just a get a blank
        // one
	$temp .= "<option value=\"".$default['value']."\">".$default['label']."</option>\n";

		
	// roll through the result set building the options
	while( ! $qr->EOF )
	{
                $temp .= "<option value=\"".$qr->fields['value']."\"";

                // lets make this one selected if it was selected before
		if( $_POST[$name] == $qr->fields['value'] )
		{
			$temp .= " selected";
		}

                // sorry for the entities and such but when you live
                // amongst french speaking folks they tend be anal about 
                // their precious special charecters théy rêàlly suck còck!

                $temp .= " >".htmlentities( utf8_decode($qr->fields['label']) )."</option>\n";
		
		$qr->MoveNext();
	}
		
	$temp .= "</select>\n";
	
    return $temp;
}

//  FUNCTION getSelectFromTable
//
//  Make a select box based on value and labels in a table.
//
//  $name -> the name of the form element
//  $table -> the table to base off of
//  $labels -> Which field has the labels: Ford, GM, Fiat
//  $values -> field has the values: 1,37,99
//  $where -> option where clause that you can put in
//  $orderby -> default ordering is on the label field but you can override
//  $default -> What should the first option be if needed.
//              array x['label'] = "yada"   array x['value'] = "yada"

function getSelectFromTable( $name , $table , $labels , $values , $where = -1 , $orderby = -1 , $default = null )
{

        // if we have a where clause use it if not nevermind
	if( $where == -1 || $where == null )
	{
		$where = "";
	}
	else
	{
		$where = " WHERE ".$where;
	}
	
        // if we have an order by use it other wise order by label field
	if( $orderby == -1 || $orderby == null )
	{
		$orderby = " ORDER BY ".$labels." ASC";
	}
	else
	{
		$orderby = " ORDER BY ".$orderby;
	}
	

	$temp = "";
	
        // get the labels and the values from the table
	$q = "SELECT ".$labels." as label, ".$values." as value FROM ".$table."".$where.$orderby;
	
	$qr = dbquery( $q );

        // begin building the select box

        // you can css on the #id if you want
	$temp .= "<select class=\"form_element\" name=\"".$name."\" id=\"".$name."\">";

        // build the first option if this is null then we just a get a blank
        // one
	$temp .= "<option value=\"".$default['value']."\">".$default['label']."</option>\n";

		
	// roll through the result set building the options
	while( ! $qr->EOF )
	{
                // Lets make this one selected if it was selected before
		if( $_POST[$name] == $qr->fields['value'] )
		{
                        // sorry for the utf/entities thing
                        // I live in a country with stupid french people
                        // who use stupid french charecters....
			$temp .= "<option value=\"".$qr->fields['value']."\" selected >".htmlentities( utf8_decode($qr->fields['label']) )."</option>\n";
		}
		else
		{
                        // wasn't selected before so just show
			$temp .= "<option value=\"".$qr->fields['value']."\" >".htmlentities( utf8_decode($qr->fields['label']) )."</option>\n";
		}
		
		$qr->MoveNext();
	}
		
	$temp .= "</select>\n";
	
    return $temp;
}

http://www.goingson.be

This is one of my favs to use and reuse. Essentially, we make a select box on what is in the table filled  values/labels.

Download the ISO countries list to make a country table and Bam! with this function you got a country select box... Also great for foreign keys...

Other Examples:

auto\_maker, auto\_maker\_id
color\_name, color\_id

PHP getSelectFromTable

php, forms

PHP