How to do mysql_fetch_array in Magento - sql

Question

I want to create a drop down option using Magento module that populate the data from the database I created.
Previously, I have this code in My IndexController.php which is work. This is the first code.
public function dropdownAction() {
if (file_exists('./app/etc/local.xml')) {
$xml = simplexml_load_file('./app/etc/local.xml');
$tblprefix = $xml->global->resources->db->table_prefix;
$dbhost = $xml->global->resources->default_setup->connection->host;
$dbuser = $xml->global->resources->default_setup->connection->username;
$dbpass = $xml->global->resources->default_setup->connection->password;
$dbname = $xml->global->resources->default_setup->connection->dbname;
}
else {
exit('Failed to open ./app/etc/local.xml');
}
$link = mysql_connect($dbhost,$dbuser,$dbpass);
mysql_select_db($dbname) or die("Unable to select database");
$tblname = $tblprefix.'my_db_table';
$result = mysql_query("SELECT dropdowndata FROM ".$tblname."");
echo '<select>';
while ($ary = mysql_fetch_array($result)){
echo "<option>" . $ary['dropdowndata '] . "</option>";
}
echo "</select>";
mysql_close($link);
}
But I think the code above is not the Magento way. Do you agree?
Now, I want to populate the data with this code in IndexController.php. This is the second code.
public function dropdownAction() {
$options= Mage::getModel('my/model')->getCollection();
foreach($options as $option){
$optionData = $option->getDropdowndata ();
echo "<select>";
echo "<option>" .$optionData."</option>";
echo "</select>";
}
}
Using the code above, the data was populated but one data with one drop down option. So there are so many drop down options appear on the browser, each drop down option will contain only one data.
I think I am missing the while ($ary = mysql_fetch_array($result)). But I confuse how to include that code?
So, my question is how to do mysql_fetch_array in Magento? Or can somebody please explain how to make the second code above work like the first code.

Answer 1

getData() function returns an array of the whole data, and of course need move 'select' nodes out of the foreach
echo "<select>";
foreach($options as $option){
$optionData = $option->getData();
echo "<option>" .$optionData['somekey'] ."</option>";
}
echo "</select>";
But I think would be better use the magento magic functions, for example if you have 'entity_id' column in DB you can get value using $option->getEntityId(), etc...

Answer 2

And why do you have select inside of foreach? I think something like this will solve your problem:
public function dropdownAction() {
$options= Mage::getModel('my/model')->getCollection();
echo "<select>";
foreach($options as $option){
$optionData = $option->getDropdowndata ();
echo "<option>" .$optionData."</option>";
}
echo "</select>";
}