Dynamic Table Creation????

Credo

I'm hoping someone can help me here... I'll try and explain my situation as best I can...

I guess you'd call it "dynamic table creation?" I understand how to create a table in an existing database is as follows:

mysql_select_db('dbname') or die ('cannot select database');

$query = 'CREATE TABLE tablename (.
	  'id INT NOT NULL AUTO_INCREMENT, '.
 	  'name VARCHAR(20) NOT NULL, '.
	  'PRIMARY KEY(id))';

$result = mysql_query($query);

Now HERE'S my question: I would like to name the table I crate based off a user input, say a text field in a form. So from the "post" after the form has been filled out, let's pretend I get this variable:

$username = $_POST['username'];

Now, I would like to crate a table with the $username variable. I'm stuck!!! How would that be done? I'm just stuck with the syntax...

$query = 'CREATE TABLE '$username' (.
	  'id INT NOT NULL AUTO_INCREMENT, '.
 	  'name VARCHAR(20) NOT NULL, '.
	  'PRIMARY KEY(id))';

Anyone who can help me would be a god! 😛
Thanks in advance!

~C.

Sxooter

I think you're getting a little mixed up on the difference between single an double quotes in PHP.

First off, if you start off string quoting with one, you can use the other inside, like this:

$string = "this is a string with a ' mark in it";

Note that we have a single quote in there. That won't work if we do it like this:

$string = 'another string with ' in it';

Note that now the string will end after the word will and create an error. We can do the opposite, like s:

$string = 'a string with " in it';

Now, further, a string created with " " marks will interpret strings inside of it as well as the meta characters like \n for a cariage return, while a string created with ' ' marks won't. So, we get something like this:

$pet = "dog";
print "A $pet makes a nice companion\n";
A dog makes a nice companion
print 'A $pet makes a nice companion\n';
A $pet makes a niec companion\n

So, what you need to do is just enclose your string in " marks and go:

$query = "CREATE TABLE $username (id INT NOT NULL AUTO_INCREMENT, name VARCHAR(20) NOT NULL, PRIMARY KEY(id))";

Credo

Thank you very much for the help! that fixed my problem!!!!! thank you also for the help on the single, and double quotes. It was something that confused me. I really appreciate your help!

~Chris.

Sxooter

You're welcome. It's a source of some trouble for beginners in many language.

drputo

Is it possible to have this auto-named?

IE -
party001
party002
party003
party004
party005

Thanks you in advance.

Puto