gistfile1.txt

<?php //code to get a joomla user from the database


$query = 'SELECT * FROM #__user WHERE name == "' . $this->article->params->get('user_to_find') . '"';

$db = $mainframe->getDBObject;

$db->setQuery($query,0,0);

$rows = $db->getObjectList();

$i = 0
$users = new array();
foreach($rows as $row){
  $users[$i]->name = $row->name;
  $users[$i]->username = $row->username;
  $users[$i]->createDate = $row->createDate;

  $i++;

}