Entering multiple checkboxes into MySQL

[spoons84]

Hi,

Ive created a form which has multiple checkboxes, once submitted the data should be put in a field of the MySQL database I have created.

The check box code is:

<td><input type="checkbox" name="categories[]" id="categories[]" value="bicycles"/>Bicycles</td>
<td><input type="checkbox" name="categories[]" id="categories[]" value="books"/>Books</td>

..........etc

This is posted to another php file which gets the info and serialises it:

$categories = serialize($_POST['categories']);

Then ive got a simple insert command line:

$sql = "INSERT INTO websites VALUES ('$name','$location','$categories'')";

This works fine with no errors....but when I look at the field the only data is N;

Any clues guys??

Cheers,
Spoons

[devinemke]

you have an extra single quote at the end of your query which might be screwing you up. try this:

$categories = serialize($_POST['categories']);
$sql = "INSERT INTO websites VALUES ('$name','$location','$categories')";

is there a specific reason that you are serializing this data? this would be easier (and require less stroage):

$categories = implode(',', $_POST['categories']);
$sql = "INSERT INTO websites VALUES ('$name','$location','$categories')";

better yet, store each category in a separate table and use related primary keys to join them.

[Weedpacket]

Better still would be to store the checkbox data in a separate table, with a third table to link IDs. Save having to update every single record whenever a category is added or removed, and would make searching within the database easier.

[Mastermind]

Thanks Wedpacket🆒