mySql is not creating new table on the fly

Question

Why do I need to reload / refresh / run this script TWICE to get the new table under the new database that have just been created ?

IOW... This script is working perfectly but not on first run.

Only after refresh it creates the new table.

<?php

$dbhost = '127.0.0.1';
$dbusername = 'root';
$dbuserpass = '';
$dbname = 'newDatabase';

$link_id = mysql_connect ($dbhost, $dbusername, $dbuserpass);
if (!mysql_select_db($dbname, $link_id)){mysql_query('CREATE DATABASE '.$dbname, $link_id);}

$sql = "CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS `users` (
`id` int(11) unsigned NOT NULL auto_increment,
`name` varchar(255) NOT NULL default '',
`email` varchar(255) NOT NULL default '',
PRIMARY KEY (`id`)
) ENGINE=MyISAM  DEFAULT CHARSET=utf8";

mysql_query($sql);

?>

Answer 1

Probably, if the database didn't exist then it wouldn't select it so the CREATE TABLE would fail.

Try changing the $sql query to:

$sql = "CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS `" . $dbname . "`.`users` (
`id` int(11) unsigned NOT NULL auto_increment,
`name` varchar(255) NOT NULL default '',
`email` varchar(255) NOT NULL default '',
PRIMARY KEY (`id`)
) ENGINE=MyISAM  DEFAULT CHARSET=utf8";

EDIT: As others have suggested, another possible solution would be to call mysql_select_db (or your your favourite newer alternative to the mysql_* functions) but this involves more data transfer to the database so using this method will be slightly more efficient. Although that efficiency will be negligible in this scenario probably!

Answer 2

When the mysql_select_db errors because the database doesn't exist, the CREATE DATABASE statement is executed.

Following that, there's no second call to mysql_select_db to change to the newly created database.

The CREATE TABLE statement is likely encountering a "no database selected" type error.

Those calls to mysql_query can raise SQL errors; it's a good idea to check for successful completion, rather than just assuming that everything went to plan.

---

And, for the love of all that is good and beautiful in this world, don't use the mysql_ interface for new development. Use mysqli or PDO instead.

Answer 3

<?php


$link_id = mysql_connect ($dbhost, $dbusername, $dbuserpass);
if (!mysql_select_db($dbname, $link_id)){
mysql_query('CREATE DATABASE '.$dbname, $link_id);
mysql_select_db($dbname, $link_id); //add this
}

You basically create the database (when it doesnt exist) but dont then connect to it te first time around - adding that line should fix it.