date_format yet again

I realise that CC Zona answered this question earlier but I haven't understood. I have attempted to use the date_format in generating the query variable and applying the result with a while loop to display the date data in an html table as dd-mmm-yyyy Generating the query variable include ("inputs/connect.php"); $plantavail = mysql_query("SELECT regno, type, size, drive, mfr, date_format(online,'%d-%b-%Y'), date_format(offline,'%d-%b-%Y') FROM boclair.members where status='heavy' order by type, size"); And later the while loop while ($myrow = mysql_fetch_array($plantavail)) { printf('<tr> <td class=regno align=right>%s</td> <td class=type align=center>%s</td> <td><span class=size>%s<span></td> <td><span class=drive>%s<span></td> <td><span class=mfr>%s<span></td> <td><span class=date>%s<span></td> <td><span class=date>%s<span></td> </tr> ', $myrow['regno'], $myrow['type'], $myrow['size'], $myrow['drive'], $myrow['mfr'], $myrow['online'], $myrow['offline']); } The date_format function used this way generates no errors or warning but the variables, $myrow['online'], $myrow['offline']), are empty and the dates are not displayed in the html table. Obviously I am missing the boat. The manual and references are apparently beyond me. Can I have some further help? Tim Morris