whats wrong with this?

[spelbound]

Can someone tell me what is wrong with this syntax? Why doesnt it work?

$sql = "SELECT * FROM example ORDER BY '$so' "; // using wildcard to pull all data from Results
$result = mysql_query($sql);

further info:
$so = $_POST['SortOn']; (drop down list from a form)

if I do it as SELECT * FROM example ORDER BY $so (i.e. without the single quotes) it returns an error.

[spelbound]

Just some further info.

I used echo $so; so I am sure that the value of $_POST['SortOn']; is coming across from the form fine

[Weedpacket]

Further info needed: what does the error message say? Have you done any debugging with [man]mysql_error[/man]?

[Derokorian]

ORDER BY should be followed by a column or list of columns, which can not be delimited by single quotes. Instead try using back-ticks or nothing at all.