Checking for duplicate records

VinnyWolf

I have read a few threads on this forum as to how to check for duplicate records before inserting, but I am a little confused.

Here is my code:

<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>Insert survey results into database</TITLE>
</head>
<BODY bgcolor="#cccccc">

<?php

// Trim the incoming data
$wo=$REQUEST['wo'];
$question1=$REQUEST['question1'];
$comments1=$REQUEST['comments1'];
$question2=$REQUEST['question2'];
$comments2=$REQUEST['comments2'];
$question3=$REQUEST['question3'];
$comments3=$REQUEST['comments3'];
$technician=$REQUEST['technician'];

// Set the variables for database access

$User = "root";
$Password = "******";
$DBName = "surveys";
$TableName = "helpdesk";

$Link=mysql_connect (localhost, $User, $Password);

$Query="INSERT into $TableName values
('$wo','$question1','$comments1','$question2','$comments2','$question3','$comments3','$technician')";

if (mysql_db_query ($DBName, $Query, $Link)){

print ("<BR><BR>\n");

print ("<center>\n");

print ("<h3>Thank you!</h3>  Your survey has been successfully

submitted.<BR>\n");
print ("This information will enable us to provide more effective
support to our end users.<br><br><br><br>\n");
print ("<form method=\"post\">\n");
print ("<INPUT TYPE=\"button\" VALUE=\"Close Window\" onClick=\"window.close()\">\n");
print ("</center>\n");

}else{

print ("<center>\n");
print ("<BR><BR><BR><BR>\n");
print ("<img src='images/bang.gif'>\n");
print ("There was an error when tring to process your survey.  Please contact the Help Desk at ext. 2999. Thank

you.<br><br><br><br><br>\n");
print ("<form method=\"post\">\n");
print ("<input type=\"button\" value=\"Close Window\" onClick=\"window.close()\">\n");
print ("</center>\n");
}

mysql_close ($Link);
?>
</BODY>
</HTML>

I would like to check for a duplicate number in the wo (work order) variable. Can someone please provide code (or even a resource where I might be able to find help with this) and a brief explanation of how the code works?
I hate just plugging in code, provided by someone else, without having any idea of how it works with the rest of my code.

Thanks so much,

Vinny

anthill

can't you just do something like:


$sql = mysql_query("SELECT * FROM $TableName WHERE wo='$wo'")

$count = mysql_num_rows($sql)

if($count>=1)
  {
echo "This value is already present";
  }
else
  {
  $Query="INSERT into $TableName values 
 ('$wo','$question1','$comments1','$question2','$co
 mments2','$question3','$comments3','$technician')"; 

 //etc etc
   }

VinnyWolf

I tried the code you supplied, however, it is not working.

Thanks anyways,

Vinny

siwis

$inUseQuery = mysql_query("SELECT count(*) FROM $TableName WHERE wo='" . $wo . "'") 

list($inUse) = mysql_fetch_row($inUseQuery) 

if ($inUse!="0") { 
    echo "This value is already present"; 
}  else { 
    $Query="INSERT into $TableName values ('$wo','$question1','$comments1','$question2','$comments2','$question3','$comments3','$technician')";  

    //etc etc 
}