how to make a unique entry in mysql

toddmarx

This should be easy. I need to add a way for users to be able to add a "category" into an exsisting table using a form. I am not that good at forms and stuff so I need some help here. I need to be able to add the category into the table, but it HAS to be unique. So the insert string needs to check before it is submitted that the data being inserted is not already there.

I am completely lost!!!!!!

Thanks,
Todd

ScubaKing22

You could perform a query that gets all rows from the DB with the give category, and if the row count is greater than 0 that means it already exists. For example (In MySQL):

<?php
if(mysql_num_rows(mysql_query("SELECT*FROM table WHERE category='$userGivenCategory'")) > 0)
{
     echo "Already Exists";
}
else
{
     echo "Does not exists";
}
?>

Hope this helps 😉

toddmarx

Thank you! Your response got me going in the right direction. I found a way to make the table only to accept "unique" entries.

Thanks,
Todd

mrhappiness

you made the column UNIQUE and simply do the insert?