deleting multiple entries in mysql using checkboxes

You are going to need to have a file called config.php, it should be
setup as follows:

START CONFIG.PHP FILE

<?
// $server is the location of the mysql server
$server = "localhost";

// mysql server username to log onto the mysql database
$db_user = "username";

// mysql server password to log onto the mysql database
$db_pass = "password";

// name of the mysql database
$database = "datbase_name";

// name of the table in the mysql database
$tablename = "table_name";

// what kind of query you want to perform
// as an example of a query name, you could have a delete from or update
// both have been specified so you will have to uncomment which one
// you want to use.
// to uncomment, just remove the // from infront of the $queryname variable

//$queryname = "DELETE FROM";
//$queryname = "UPDATE";

// The query has a "where" clause where it will look for certain information in a particular
// mysql column.  If you want to specify the ID column, then do not change this variable,
// if you want to use a different column name, then change the word inside the "" only
// for example: $wherevalue = "something_here_instead";
$wherevalue = "id";

// time to display the information in the page where you want the form to work
$displayinformationintable = "table_name_to_retrieve_information_from"

// the variable is where you want to use the "where" clause for the variable above
// the information below looks in a row called "tombr" for the "username"
// you will need to change this to reflect what you want 
$displaywhereclause = "`tombr`='$username'";

// define the order by - this can be anything, it is specified below to order by id
$orderby = "id";

// define here if you want your records to display in accending or descending order
// you are going to need to uncomment which one you want to use
//$ascdesc = "asc";
//$ascdesc = "desc";

// form action 
// for example: <form action="usermessages.php" method="post">
$formaction = "usermessages.php";

// select query, the variable below is set to select all entries "SELECT *"
$selectquery = "SELECT *";
?>

END CONFIG.PHP FILE

Then you are going to need to place the following code in your php file, do not change it
otherwise it will not work.

<?
// specify the variables in the config.php file
include("config.php");
// If the form was submitted, delete the items selected from the database 
$connection = mysql_connect("$server", "$db_user", "$db_pass");
$db = mysql_select_db("$database", $connection);
if($_POST["deleted_items"] != "") 
{ 
	$delItems = implode(",", $HTTP_POST_VARS['deleted_items']);
	for($x=0;$x<count($delItems);$x++)
	{
		$query = "$queryname $tablename WHERE $wherevalue IN ($delItems)";
		$result = mysql_query($query, $connection) or die(mysql_error()); 
	}
}
?>

The next part is that you are going to need to add a checkbox that will echo for all of your
entries that you want to $queryname in the mysql database.  You are not going to need to 
change the following checkbox code, because the value will look for what ever you have 
specified in the $wherevalue variable and will automatically insert that value for you for each
of the checkboxes that are generated.

<input type="checkbox" name="deleted_items[]" value="".$rows['$wherevalue']."">

You will also need to make sure that the checkboxes are contained in a form, otherwise it will
not work.

as an example:

<form action="$formaction" method="post">
<table>
<tr>
<td><input type="checkbox" name="deleted_items[]" value="".$rows['$wherevalue'].""></td>
</tr>
</form>

My display table looks like the following:

<?php
$connection = mysql_connect("$server", "$db_user", "$db_pass");
$db = mysql_select_db("$database", $connection);
$query = "$selectquery FROM $tablename where $displaywhereclause order by $orderby $ascdesc";
$result = mysql_query($query, $connection);
echo "<form action="$formaction" method="post"><table width="100%" border="0">";
echo "<tr><td><input type="image" src="images/inbox/trash.gif" alt="Delete Selected Messages" accesskey="d"></td><td><b>$lang[neworread]</b></td><td><b>From</b></td><td><b>$lang[messagedate]</b></td><td><b>$lang[inboxtitle]</b>
</td></tr>";
while ($rows = mysql_fetch_array($result))
{
$new = "$rows[new]";
if($new=='yes')
{
  echo "<tr><td><input type="checkbox" name="deleted_items[]" value="".$rows['$wherevalue']."" title="Select this message for deletion: Unread message from $rows[frommbr] with the subject of $rows[title] which was sent on $rows[date] PST"></td><td><img src="images/inbox/unopened.gif" alt="Unread Message"></td><td><b><a href="userprofile.php?user=$rows[frommbr]" accesskey="p">$rows[frommbr]</a></b></td><td><b>$rows[date] PST</b></td><td><b><a href="viewmessage.php?id=$rows[nomer]" accesskey="o">$rows[title]</a></b></td></tr>";
}
elseif($new=='ne')
{
  echo "<tr><td><input type="checkbox" name="deleted_items[]" value="".$rows['$wherevalue']."" title="Select this message for deletion: Read message from $rows[frommbr] with the subject of $rows[title] which was sent on $rows[date] PST"></td><td><img src="images/inbox/opened.gif" alt="Read Message"></td><td><a href="userprofile.php?user=$rows[frommbr]" accesskey="p">$rows[frommbr]</a></td><td>$rows[date] PST</td><td><a href="viewmessage.php?id=$rows[nomer]" accesskey="o">$rows[title]</a></td></tr>";
}
}
?>
<?
$num_rows = mysql_num_rows($result);
if($num_rows == 0) {
echo "<tr><td colspan="5" class="center">There are currently no messages in your inbox folder.</td></tr>";
}
?>
<?
echo "<tr><td><input type="image" src="images/inbox/trash.gif" alt="Delete Selected Messages" accesskey="d"></td><td colspan=4>&nbsp;</td></tr></table>";
?>
</form>

I know this works as it works on my website www.brailleschool.com
I hope you enjoy using this code.  A link back to my site is requested but not required.
No assistance is given for the use of this code unless a permanent link back is given in exchange