====== concat ======
~~NOTOC~~
<WRAP right box>
  string concat(
         string $inputString
         )
</WRAP>
===== Description =====
The function ''concat()'' takes an variable list of strings, and returns a database-specific string of concatenated values. It is important to recognize the difference between concatenating a database field or a string when using the method in an SQL statement
-------------------------------
===== Usage =====
<code php>
/*
 * Assume MySQL database
 */
$string = $db->concat('VOGON','POETRY','READING');

/*
 * Returns: CONCAT(VOGON,POETRY,READING)
 * assuming that they are database columns
*/
</code>

===== Concatenating Strings And Database Fields =====
In order to concatenate database fields and strings together it is necessary to quote the strings
<code php>
/*
* Best methodology
*/
$s = $db->quote(', Arthur Dent');

$SQL = "UPDATE hitchhikers 
           SET last_name = {$db->concat(last_name,$s)} 
         WHERE first_name='Arthur' 
           AND last_name='Dent'";
           
$db->execute($SQL);

$SQL = "SELECT last_name FROM hitchhikers 
         WHERE first_name='Arthur'";

print $db->getOne($SQL);

/*
* Prints "Dent, Arthur Dent"
*/
</code>