[thelist] [mysql] condensing queries

[kris burford]

hiya

i've got a number of mysql queries on a page that i'm thinking i should 
condense into one.

firstly, is it a good idea to create a single, but more complex query - or 
should i stick to several simple ones?

secondly, if two queries are getting count results from different tables, 
if the answer to the above is yes, how would i go about amalgamating them?

for instance:

$sql1 = "select count(image_id) as imagecount from images where user = 
'$user' ";

and

$sql2 = "select count(link_id) as link count from links where user = '$user' ";

simply combining them as: $sql = "select count(i.image_id) as imagecount, 
count(l.link_id) as linkcount from images i, links l where i.user = '$user' 
and l.user = '$user'";

returns the value of images*links, rather than the independent values.

can someone explain what i'm doing wrong?

tia

kris