# mysql_list_tables

(PHP 4, PHP 5, PECL mysql:1.0)

mysql_list_tables — List tables in a MySQL database

### Description

resource mysql_list_tables ( string `$database` [, resource `$link_identifier` ] )

Retrieves a list of table names from a MySQL database.

This function is deprecated. It is preferable to use mysql_query() to issue a SQL SHOW TABLES [FROM db_name] [LIKE 'pattern'] statement instead.

### Parameters

`database`

  The name of the database

`link_identifier`

  The MySQL connection. If the link identifier is not specified, the last link opened by mysql_connect() is assumed. If no such link is found, it will try to create one as if mysql_connect() was called with no arguments. If by chance no connection is found or established, an `E_WARNING` level warning is generated.

### Return Values

A result pointer resource on success, or `FALSE` on failure.

Use the mysql_tablename() function to traverse this result pointer, or any function for result tables, such as mysql_fetch_array().

### ChangeLog

Version | Description
--- | ---
4.3.7 | This function became deprecated.

### Examples

Example#1 mysql_list_tables() alternative example

`<?php
$dbname = 'mysql_dbname';
if (!mysql_connect('mysql_host', 'mysql_user', 'mysql_password')) {
echo 'Could not connect to mysql';
exit;
}
$sql = "SHOW TABLES FROM $dbname";
$result = mysql_query($sql);
if (!$result) {
echo "DB Error, could not list tables\n";
echo 'MySQL Error: ' . mysql_error();
exit;
}
while ($row = mysql_fetch_row($result)) {
echo "Table: {$row[0]}\n";
}
mysql_free_result($result);
?>`

### Notes

> Note: For downward compatibility, the following deprecated alias may be used: mysql_listtables()

### See Also

- mysql_list_dbs()
- mysql_tablename()