terminating strings

Anon

help! i'm having problems with the select query in oracle

for example if i have:

SELECT * FROM TABLE WHERE name='ken's kids'

I get an error. but:

SELECT * FROM TABLE WHERE name='kens kids'

works. Oracle seems to think that the first string has terminated at the 'ken'. if i try using double quotes:

SELECT * FROM TABLE WHERE name="ken's kids"

I get an invalid column error. can someone help?

Anon

I can't speak for oracle but in mysql you need to use addslashes() before inserting this kind of data. Then use stripslashes() after you pull it out.

so it would look like this in the database:

name='ken\'s kids'

Anon

The ANSI SQL 92 method is:

'ken''s kids'

Using backslashes as escape characters are proprietary extensions. I'm a little amazed at why this addslashes() function is advocated when it clearly breaks the SQL standard.

Please look up ANSI SQL documentation regarding the meaning of the single quote (') and the double quote ("). They mean different things.

[deleted]

The addslashes function clearly states that it adds slashes, addslashes() itself has nothing to do with SQL whatsoever.

Like Ken said, addslashes works with MySQL, that's all.
Maybe it's time that PHP got an "escape_binary()" function for properly escaping things to follow the SQL standard.

kenodoki

Thanks that works fine. I just wonder why the documentation doesn't mention the fact that addslashes doesn't work in oracle.

Anon

Allow me to quote the documentation, in case you haven't read it:

"Returns a string with backslashes before characters that need to be quoted in database queries etc"

Sure does say something about databases.

[deleted]

The annotated manual does mention this, and even offers a workaround.

http://www.php.net/manual/en/function.addslashes.php

[deleted]

Me? not read the manual? how could you think such a thing? :-)

Indeed, it says it can also be used for databases.
Key word here is ALSO.
It does not say that this function was designed to be used with database queries.

But I agree the manual should say "this can be used with some database engines such as MySQL"

kenodoki

so it does! (oops)

Anon

Oh man you are having a hard time with English aren't you.

"Returns a string with backslashes before characters that need to be quoted in database queries"

There is no word "also" in that sentence. Read this sentence. Can you, in your judgement, not infer that somehow this function is related to database queries?

The point is, of course, that the inferences the documentation makes to database queries is pragmatically correct for certain proprietary extensions to databases like MySQL (which is crippled anyway), but is not right in the theme of open source, which is "do it right".

[deleted]

yes, lets get personal.

Where exactly did I say it says "also" in the manual?

This is not a usefull discussion anymore.
I surrender to the great Gerald and I humbly confess that I don't speak english at all.

Goodbye.