Category / sub-category loop for drop down menu

[slvr99]

I'm trying to dynamically populate a drop down menu with categories and subcategories from a database table. My problem is that I can't figure out a way to loop through the subcategories so they display under the correct category.

In my SQL database I have a table called 'Categories' with 3 columns: id, category, subcategory. The subcategories in the subcategory column are separated by 3 colon marks (Artists:::Childcare:::Classes:::Event).

I'm using unordered lists <Ul> <li> in html to populate the drop down menu.

This code displays the category names:

$reqr1="select * from $categoryTable";
$resultre1=mysql_query($reqr1);	


	<?php 
while($allCategories=mysql_fetch_assoc($resultre1)){ ?>
<li><a href="#"><div class="whatever"<?php print $relanguage_tags[$allCategories['category']];?>' <?php if(in_array($relanguage_tags[$allCategories['category']],$reCategory)) print "selected='selected'"; ?> ><?php print $relanguage_tags[$allCategories['category']]; ?></div></a>
<?php } ?>

This code loops through the subcategories but it is a work in progress

              <?php 
if($ptype=="showOnMap" || $ptype=="viewFullListing" || $ptype=="home" || $ptype==""){
	$reCategoryString=getCommaStringFromArray($reCategory);
	$reqr2="select * from $categoryTable where id like '%' ".getRealValue($reCategoryString,"reCategory");
	$resultre2=mysql_query($reqr2);
	?>
	
	<?php 
	while($allSubCategories=mysql_fetch_assoc($resultre2)){ 
	$subCatList=explode(":::",$allSubCategories['subcategories']);
	$subCatSize=sizeof($subCatList);
	for($i=0;$i<$subCatSize;$i++){
		?>
	<li><a href="#"><div class="whatever"<?php print $relanguage_tags[$subCatList[$i]];?>' <?php if(in_array($relanguage_tags[$subCatList[$i]],$reSubcategory)) print "selected='selected'"; ?> ><?php print $relanguage_tags[$subCatList[$i]]; ?></div></a></li>
	<?php }
	} ?>
	
<?php 	
}
?>

[yamaharuss]

What you need is a recursive query. Do a search for that.

[WyCnet]

When you say dynamically populate the category do you mean fetch the subcategory data when the category is clicked, or mouseovered? Or do you mean populate the entire menu structure all at once?