retrieve mysql data as array and display in multiple combo boxes

i am trying to use the mysql data items into the select combo box. it basically works well but the problem is when there are multiple combo boxes it is a lot of load to the server since adding each combo box takes a lot of time. i am trying to figure out a better way. may be pull date once into an array just for the session and place it in the combo boxes. The logic is basically it is a quotation form where about 3500 items will be shown as drop down and user will select and then enter price and other details. the rows are dynamically added or deleted by the user. i am currently using the following code:-

<?php
$con = mysql_connect('blah blah blah');
if (!$con)  {
die ('Could not connect: ' . mysql_error());}
$db = mysql_select_db('blah',$con);
$extract1 = mysql_query("query") OR die (mysql_error());
$numrows1 = mysql_num_rows($extract1);
echo "<select name='itemname' title='select Item Name'>";
echo "
<option>S开发者_开发问答elect Item Description</option>
    ";
while ($row1=mysql_fetch_assoc($extract1)) 
{
    $ic=$row1['ItemName'];
echo    "   
    <option>$ic</option>
    ";
}
    echo    "</select>";
mysql_close($con);
?>

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Don't echo your option do this in your while statement:

$ic[]=$row1['ItemName'];

then outside of the while loop anywhere on the page:

foreach($ic as $i){
    echo "<option>".$i."</option>";
}

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First off, Don't use mysql_* functions in new code. They are no longer maintained and are officially deprecated. See the red box? Learn about prepared statements instead, and use PDO or MySQLi - this article will help you decide which. If you choose PDO, here is a good tutorial.

---

<?php

$con = mysql_connect('blah blah blah') or die(mysql_error());
$db = mysql_select_db('blah',$con) or die(mysql_error());
$result = mysql_query("query MAYBE NARROW DOWN TO MORE RELEVANT RESULT SET") or die (mysql_error());

$option = '<select size="1" name="optionBox">';

if(mysql_num_rows($result)>=1){
    while ($row=mysql_fetch_assoc($result)){
        $option .="<option selected value=\"".$row['ItemName']."\">".$row['ItemName']."</option>\n";
    }
}else{
    $option .='<option selected value="0">No items to list</option>';
}
$option .='</select>';

echo $option;

mysql_close($con);
?>

---

Yes, if your data changes infrequently enough, it may be a good idea to put the data into an array on the session, and render it from there. Depending on the frequency of change of your data, you might be able to get away with rendering it to a non-session data element (for example, a file on your filesystem) and populating your comboboxes from there (or just rendering all your choices into the combobox elements in that file, and using that data directly); that depends on the frequency by which your data is updated, of course.