inster into table question

filn

can anybody point out what ive done wrong in this code chunk and help me make corrections ? thanks.

trying to instert data into 4 diffrent fields in a table in a mysql db.

the code i have is this:

$f1 = "field 1 data"
$f2 = "field 2 data"
$f3 = "field 3 data"
$f4 = "field 4 data"

$db = "db"

$table = "table";

$connect = "mysql_connect($host, $user, $pass)";

$select = "mysql_select($db, $connect)";

if ($select) {
mysql_query(insert into $table values($f1, $f2, $f3, $f4);
echo "OK!!";
}
else {
echo "Error!";
}

when i execute it, it gives me a parse error on the mysql_query line. i cant figure out why. also, is this the right way to insert stuff into the db ? thanks for your help.

flameche

What you have to pass to mysql_query must be a string surrounded with quotes.

filn

where do the quotes go ? i always get confussed about which quotes to use and where to put them, so i just dont use them 🙂

kidsleep

The mysql manual gives this as the correct insert syntax:

mysql_query("insert into $table (column1,column2) VALUES('$value1','$value2')");

you were missing both single and double quotes as well as the column names.

HTH

filn

ahhhhhhhh.... ok. that makes sence. thanks for your help.

flameche

column names are optional but the make your code clearer...

filn

how would you know what field the data was being put into if you didnt use the column names ?

gabereiser

i think you HAVE to use column names, I always do

flameche

http://www.mysql.com/doc/en/INSERT.html

If you specify no column list for INSERT ... VALUES or INSERT ... SELECT, values for all columns must be provided in the VALUES() list or by the SELECT. If you don't know the order of the columns in the table, use DESCRIBE tbl_name to find out.

---> MySQL fills in the columns from the first one to the last one in the same order as the 'describe' when column names are omitted.

More details on the page linked above...