php and mysql

If i start a mydql connection and store some data as variables, can i open a new connection ? WIll the first connection close or how do i do dhtis

No, you can have more than one connection at once.

if you use a standard textbook mysql_connect() without the new_link parameter set to True, then no new connection will be openend on your second (and following) mysql_connect() calls.

this is also very sensible of php, because why would you need a second connection? during the scriptexecution, php will keep using the same connection and then close it automatically when the script is finished. this way, you avoid a lott of overhead because you don't need to keep opening and closing connections.

Why would you need more then one connection, can't you just use one and re-select a database? Never tried it so I'm not sure about that one lol.

because i have 2 games, want 1 to relate to the other through a contest, so, i need to acces my toher databse to do so

As long as both db's are on the same server, you can use the same connection and switch between them with mysql_select_db().

You don't even have to do this, though, as you can determine the db you're using directly in the query:


SELECT
foo
FROM
databasename.tablename

:) thanks