Experts Round Table Network

I'm not much of an expert on more complex MySQL queries so stumped on this.

I have 2 queries, 1st query deletes a journal entry, 2nd query deletes all the notes associated with that journal entry.

        $sql = 'DELETE FROM `entries` '
             . 'WHERE `entry` = ' . $_POST['entry'] . ' '
             . 'AND `account` = ' . ACCOUNT;

        $sql = 'DELETE FROM `notes` '
             . 'WHERE `entry` = ' . $_POST['entry'] . ' '
             . 'AND `account` = ' . ACCOUNT;

How would I combine both of those into a single query? The only different between them is the table name. The column names are the same for each. Thanks!

Nick

I don't know MySQL, but in most relational DBs, if you have a relationship defined between the two tables, you cannot delete the parent records first (unless you have cascade delete functionlaity, in which case you don't need the second statement.

In SQL Server, it would be delete the notes, then delete the entries...Cannot combine the statements, but youcan wrap them in a transaction (and should).

If ur using INNODB then u could use the "ON DELETE CASCADE"
This will delete any record from child when the record from the parent is deleted.
Theres a good example at
http://www.informit.com/articles/article.asp?p=30875&seqNum=8&rl=1

Again if ur table doesnt have ant f-k relationships then u could use
DELETE parent, child FROM parent LEFT JOIN child USING (par_id)
WHERE parent.par_id = 1;