more_results

The mysqli_more_results() function checks whether another result set is still waiting after you run several SQL statements at once with mysqli_multi_query(). It is one piece of the small toolkit you use to walk through the results of a multi-statement query. This article explains its syntax, return value, the loop pattern it belongs to, and the gotchas that trip people up.

Syntax

mysqli_more_results(mysqli $mysql): bool

In object-oriented style the same method is $mysqli->more_results().

Parameter

• $mysql — a MySQLi connection object returned by mysqli_connect() (or new mysqli(...)).

Return value

mysqli_more_results() returns true if one or more result sets are still available from the last mysqli_multi_query() call, and false if there are no more. It does not advance to that next set — for that you call mysqli_next_result().

When would I use it?

A single mysqli_query() returns one result set, so you never need mysqli_more_results() there. It only matters with mysqli_multi_query(), which lets you send several ;-separated statements in one round trip — for example a stored-procedure call that returns multiple SELECTs, or a batch import script. mysqli_more_results() is the loop condition that tells you when to stop.

The standard loop pattern

Three functions work together:

<?php
$mysqli = mysqli_connect("localhost", "user", "pass", "demo");

mysqli_multi_query($mysqli, "SELECT 1 AS n; SELECT 2 AS n; SELECT 3 AS n;");

do {
    // Fetch the result set for the current statement.
    if ($result = mysqli_store_result($mysqli)) {
        $row = mysqli_fetch_assoc($result);
        echo "Result: {$row['n']}\n";
        mysqli_free_result($result);
    }
    // Keep going only while another set is queued AND we can advance to it.
} while (mysqli_more_results($mysqli) && mysqli_next_result($mysqli));

mysqli_close($mysqli);
?>

For the three statements above this prints:

Result: 1
Result: 2
Result: 3

The do...while (not a plain while) is deliberate: the first result set is already current right after mysqli_multi_query(), so you must process it before testing for more.

Gotchas

• Always pair it with mysqli_next_result(). mysqli_more_results() only reports the state; it never moves the pointer. Calling it in a loop without mysqli_next_result() gives you an infinite loop on the first set.
• Free each result set. Call mysqli_free_result() before advancing, or you keep extra result sets in memory.
• A statement that returns no rows (an INSERT, UPDATE, or empty SELECT) makes mysqli_store_result() return false — that is normal, not an error. Check mysqli_errno($mysqli) if you need to tell the two apart.

Demonstrating the return value without a database

You don't need a live server to see what the function reports. Mirroring the logic with a small array shows the loop and the boolean clearly:

<?php
$resultSets = ["one", "two", "three"];
$index = 0;

do {
    echo "Processing: {$resultSets[$index]}\n";
    $index++;
    // more_results() is true while another set remains.
    $more = $index < count($resultSets);
    echo $more ? "more_results -> true\n" : "more_results -> false\n";
} while ($more);
?>

Output:

Processing: one
more_results -> true
Processing: two
more_results -> true
Processing: three
more_results -> false

Related functions

• mysqli_multi_query() — runs the multiple statements in the first place.
• mysqli_next_result() — advances to the next result set.
• mysqli_use_result() — an alternative to store_result() that streams rows.
• The MySQLi extension overview — how all these functions fit together.

Conclusion

mysqli_more_results() is the "is there more?" check in the multi-query loop. On its own it does little; combined with mysqli_next_result() and mysqli_store_result() in a do...while, it lets you cleanly process every result set returned by a single mysqli_multi_query() call.

Practice