$sqls = "SELECT substring(fanart_artist,1,1) as mychar FROM fanart GROUP BY mychar"; if (!($results = mysql_query($sqls)) ) { echo("Database query failed. Please click here and report this error."); } else { $letters = array(); while ( $row = mysql_fetch_array($results, MYSQL_BOTH) ) { $char = strtoupper($row['mychar']); $letters[$char] = true; } for ( $i = 0; $i < 26; $i++ ) { if ( $i ) { echo ' | '; } if ( isset($letters[chr($i+ord('A'))]) ) { printf('%s',strtolower(chr($i+ord('A'))),chr($i+ord('A'))); } else { echo chr($i + ord('A')); } } }