mysql_fetch_row loop not returning 1st set of results

Question

I'm trying to return a set of values decided from a start and end session variable. The code works but for some reason doesn't return anything from the initial variable.

e.g. If the range ABC001 to ABC010 is entered all values from ABC002 - ABC010 are returned, nothing from ABC001 appears.

My query works perfectly when entered directly into SQL and I don't think I've already called the result set so why aren't the first set of results returning?

PS I'm aware a lot of the functions I've used have been/are being deprecated but this is quite an old site historically and I'm not ready to re-write it just yet.

<?php
  require_once("includes/header2.php");
  $title = "Box Contents";
  require_once("includes/head2.php");
  isLoggedIn();

  // Catch session variables
  $_SESSION['boxidStart'] = $_POST['boxContentsStart'];
  $_SESSION['boxidEnd'] = $_POST['boxContentsEnd'];

  // Define them as named variables for ease of use
  $boxidStart = $_SESSION['boxidStart'];
  $boxidEnd = $_SESSION['boxidEnd'];

  // Box selection query
  $sql = mysql_query ("SELECT boxId, fileNumber, dateEntered, destroyDate, invoiceStatus, invoiceDate FROM fields WHERE boxId BETWEEN '$boxidStart%' AND '$boxidEnd%' ORDER BY boxId ASC");

  // SELECT Business
  $companyName = mysql_query("SELECT business from fields LEFT JOIN users ON fields.CompanyId = users.Id WHERE boxId LIKE '$boxidStart%'");
  $cn = mysql_fetch_row($companyName);
  $no = 1;

  if (!$boxidStart) {
  ?>
  <div class="clearfix"></div>
  <div>
  <h2>You need to enter some text to search for!</h2>
  <p>Please try again.</p>
  <?php
    require_once("includes/footer.php");
  } else {
    if (escape($boxidStart))
  {
  ?>
  <div class="clearfix"></div>
  <div>
  <h2 style="float:left;">Files Entered from range box <?php echo $boxidStart ?> to box <?php echo $boxidEnd ?></h2>
  <!-- company name -->
  <h2 style="float:right"><?php echo $cn[0] ?></h2>
  <div>
  <table class="results" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0" border="1" width="100%">
    <tbody align="left">
    <tr>
        <th>No.</th>
        <th>Box No.</th>
        <th>File Number</th>
        <th>Date Entered</th>
        <th>Destroy Date</th>
        <th>Invoicing</th>
     </tr>
<?php

while ($row = mysql_fetch_row($sql)) {
    echo "<tr valign='middle' class='row'>
          <td width='5%' class='company'>", $no++ ,"</td>
          <td width='5%' class='company'>", $row[0] ,"</td>
          <td width='30%' class='company'>", $row[1],"</td>
          <td width='12.5%' class='datein'>", $new_date = date('d/m/Y', strtotime($row[2])), "</td>
          <td width='12.5%' class='filenotes'>", $new_date = date('d/m/Y', strtotime($row[3])), "</td>";

    // There must be a check in the history_files table to see if there is an entry for this fileNumber
    // If there is an entry for this file number then it means that the file has already been in the system and the invoice has been paid
    $sqlReturn = mysql_query ("SELECT fileNumber FROM history_files WHERE fileNumber = '$row[1]'");


    $result = mysql_fetch_array($sqlReturn);
    //var_dump($sqlReturn);
    if ($result) {
        // If the result is true the the text "Invoice has been paid"
        echo "<td width='35%' class='filenotes'>Invoice already paid</td></tr>";
    } else {
        // If the result is false the the text "Invoice Charge €25.00" plus VAT 
        echo "<td width='35%' class='filenotes'>Invoice charge €25.00 + VAT</td></tr>";
    }


    }
            //echo "<p>".mysql_num_rows($sql)." results<p>";
?>

</tbody>
</table>


<p><strong><br><br>Signed:</strong>________________________________<br><br></p>
<p><strong>Dated:</strong> <?php echo date('d/m/Y', strtotime($dateEntered)); ?></p>
<br><br>
</div>
<?php require_once("includes/foot.php"); } }?>

Answer 1

The query being run includes this clause:

BETWEEN '$boxidStart%' AND '$boxidEnd%'

but the BETWEEN is doing a string compare, not a LIKE. In alpahbetical order, ABC001 comes before ABC001%, so the first row you're expecting isn't matched by the query.