mysql Query executed ?

How can i know if a query was executed correctly …

i did this :

$sql = ” the sql query ” ;

$sql_query = $wpdb->query($sql);

then tested both :

if (! $sql_query) { the query dident work } else …

and

if ($sql_query != 1) { the query dident work }else …

but both dident work in term of showing that the query were executed (i know it did because i can see some results in my phpMyAdmin)

also another weird thing is that i use the same command

” if ($sql_query != 1) ” in another php file and it work !

any idea ?

also the $sql_query return 0 if it was executed and nothing if it dident (weird ? )