Inserting instances of array into table using a for loop

Question

I am trying to insert rows of data in an array into a table. It's inserting this instead of the actual data:

enter image description here

Here is my code:

for ($i = 0; $i < $arraycount; $i++)
{
    $db->query("INSERT INTO contact_tariffs (qid, retail_name, tariff_name, tariff_net, tariff_rental, tariff_inclusive, tariff_length, tariff_data)
                Values ('$qid', '$quote->retail_name[$i]', '$quote->tariff_name[$i]', '$quote->tariff_net[$i]', '$quote->tariff_rental[$i]', '$quote->tariff_inclusive[$i]', '$quote->tariff_length[$i]', '$quote->tariff_data[$i]' )");                        
}

I have had similar problems when using $_POST and $_SESSION variables and the only solution I had for that was to temporarily transport the values into temp variables and use the temp variables to insert into the database.

Look into string parsing, use curly braces, or possibly, sprintf or prepared statements. — Wrikken
– Wrikken, Commented Feb 3, 2012 at 11:44

JJJ · Accepted Answer · 2012-02-03 12:02:17Z

2

The variables are too complex to use inside a string. PHP interprets $quote->retail_name as one variable and $i another, because it doesn't know where one variable ends and where the other starts. For example:

$i = 1;
$quote->retail_name[ 1 ] = 'foo';

echo "result: $quote->retail_name[$i]";  // --> result: Array[1]
// the above is the same as 
// echo $quote->retail_name; echo "["; echo $i; echo "];

echo "result: ".$quote->retail_name[$i]; // --> result: foo
// The above leaves the variable outside the string so it's parsed correctly.
// You could also use "result: {$quote->retail_name[$i]}"

See also http://www.php.net/manual/en/language.types.string.php#language.types.string.parsing

Try this instead:

for ($i = 0; $i < $arraycount; $i++)
{
    $db->query("INSERT INTO contact_tariffs (qid, retail_name, tariff_name, tariff_net, tariff_rental, tariff_inclusive, tariff_length, tariff_data)
                Values ('$qid', '".$quote->retail_name[$i]."', '".$quote->tariff_name[$i]."', '".$quote->tariff_net[$i]."', '".$quote->tariff_rental[$i]."', '".$quote->tariff_inclusive[$i]."', '".$quote->tariff_length[$i]."', '".$quote->tariff_data[$i]."' )");                        
}

Although you should escape the values as well. Something like PDO would be preferable.

edited Feb 3, 2012 at 12:02

answered Feb 3, 2012 at 11:45

JJJ

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3 Comments

Vyktor Over a year ago

+1 for pointing to PDO, Or he can use syntax: "'{$quote->retail_name[$i]}'"

tomaytotomato Over a year ago

I dont understand what you mean by too complex, are you refering to the variables structure or the data inside it?

JJJ Over a year ago

PHP doesn't realize that $quote->whatever[$i] should be one variable. It thinks that it's $quote->whatever and $i separately. See the edit.

DerVO · Accepted Answer · 2012-02-03 11:47:03Z

1

You can use curly brackets, to insert array values directly into a double quoted string:

for ($i = 0; $i < $arraycount; $i++)
{
    $db->query("INSERT INTO contact_tariffs (qid, retail_name, tariff_name, tariff_net, tariff_rental, tariff_inclusive, tariff_length, tariff_data)
                Values ('{$qid}', '{$quote->retail_name[$i]}', '{$quote->tariff_name[$i]}', '{$quote->tariff_net[$i]}', '{$quote->tariff_rental[$i]}', '{$quote->tariff_inclusive[$i]}', '{$quote->tariff_length[$i]}', '{$quote->tariff_data[$i]}' )");                        
}

...and please be aware of SQL injections.

answered Feb 3, 2012 at 11:47

DerVO

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2 Comments

tomaytotomato Over a year ago

Its on a trusted system so im not worrying about that :)

Wrikken Over a year ago

Properly escaping parameters in SQL-queries is not just to protect against malicious injections. Perfectly valid names like "O'neill" could also get you in trouble. So, no matter whether you trust all users (and/or even if you yourself are the only user), escape those damn things.

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