Checking if something is already in a database

I’m trying to create a member registration page. I need it to check to see if a username is taken already. So i thought I could do this

[code=php]
$username = $_REQUEST[‘username’];

$query = “select * from member_list where username='”.$username.”‘”;

$result = mysql_query($query);

[/code]

then, if there is no entry in the database, then I thought it would return a false value for $result. Problem is, it returns a true value. And if I do this

[code=php]
$row=mysql_fetch_array($result);

$name = stripslashes($row[‘username’]);

echo $name;

[/code]

then it just keeps echoing the value of $username, whatever I put it, and whether or not it’s in the database!? I don’t understand it….surely if the name specified in $username is NOT in the database, then the MYSQL query should not return anything?

Is there another way to find if something already exists in a database? Or will I have to use a for loop to check the value of every entry in teh database against the username?

Thanks

Toby

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