решено.
PHP код:
<?php
include("credentials.php");
$res = mysql_connect ( $dbhost, $dbuser, $dbpass, $dbport ) or die ("Coudn't connect to [$dbserv]");
mysql_select_db ( $dbname );
$FORM = "<table width=100% border=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" style=\"font-size:11px; font-family:verdana; color:#999999;\">";
$query = "select char_name from characters where (online=1) ORDER BY char_name ASC ";
$link = mysql_query($query);
$num = mysql_num_rows($link);
$FORM .= "<tr><td><br><span style=\"font-size:11px; font-family:verdana; color:#000000;\"><center><b>onLine: $num</b></span></td></tr><tr><td align=justify><hr><span style=\"font-size:11px; font-family:verdana; color:#ff0000;\">";
while ( $char = mysql_fetch_row($link) )
{
$FORM .= " $char[0] ";
}
$FORM .= "</span></td></tr></table><hr style=\"font-family:verdana; color:#999999;\"><center>";
echo $FORM;
mysql_close();
?>