Question

Get rid of apostrophes in MySQL database

Asked by: sully1958

I'm pulling data from one table in my database and inserting it into another table.  All goes well until I come across a field in my "pull" table that has an apostrophe in it.  I then receive the following error:  You have an error in your SQL syntax; check the manual that corresponds to your MySQL server version for the right syntax to use near 'Connell','Redmond','Open','Re-Roof','0')' at line 5".

The offending field in the above referenced error is 'Connell' which is actually 'O'Connell'.  How do I get rid of the apostrophe when I'm pulling the data, then reinsert it when I'm posting to the new table?

I've included a snippet of my code below.

$DataClientFile = $result01['ClientFile']);
				$DataLastName = $result01['LastName']);
				$DataCity = $result01['Projcity']);
				$DataStatus = $result01['Status']);
				$DataType = $result01['MarketCode']);
				$DataPoint = $result01['EstimatorID']);
				
				$query01c = "INSERT INTO AllData (ClientFile,LastName,City,Status,Type,Point) 
					
					VALUES	
					
					('$DataClientFile','$DataLastName','$DataCity','$DataStatus','$DataType','$DataPoint')";
					
				$result01c = mysql_query($query01c) or die('Query failed 4: ' . mysql_error());

                                  
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Asked On
2009-11-03 at 15:48:16ID24869356
Tags

PHP

,

MySQL

Topics

MySQL Server

,

PHP and Databases

Participating Experts
2
Points
500
Comments
16

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Answers

 

by: leakim971Posted on 2009-11-03 at 16:05:58ID: 25735261

Hello sully1958,

Fast resolution, use " instead of '

$DataClientFile = $result01['ClientFile']);
				$DataLastName = $result01['LastName']);
				$DataCity = $result01['Projcity']);
				$DataStatus = $result01['Status']);
				$DataType = $result01['MarketCode']);
				$DataPoint = $result01['EstimatorID']);
				
				$query01c = "INSERT INTO AllData (ClientFile,LastName,City,Status,Type,Point) 
					
					VALUES	
					
					("$DataClientFile","$DataLastName","$DataCity","$DataStatus","$DataType","$DataPoint')";
					
				$result01c = mysql_query($query01c) or die('Query failed 4: ' . mysql_error());
                                              
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by: leakim971Posted on 2009-11-03 at 16:06:45ID: 25735263

Litlle correction :

$DataClientFile = $result01['ClientFile']);
				$DataLastName = $result01['LastName']);
				$DataCity = $result01['Projcity']);
				$DataStatus = $result01['Status']);
				$DataType = $result01['MarketCode']);
				$DataPoint = $result01['EstimatorID']);
				
				$query01c = 'INSERT INTO AllData (ClientFile,LastName,City,Status,Type,Point) 
					
					VALUES	
					
					("$DataClientFile","$DataLastName","$DataCity","$DataStatus","$DataType","$DataPoint')';
					
				$result01c = mysql_query($query01c) or die('Query failed 4: ' . mysql_error());

                                              
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by: Ray_PaseurPosted on 2009-11-03 at 16:10:25ID: 25735287

When you bring in data with apostrophes (and some other things) you MUST escape it with mysql_real_escape_string().  Man page available on the PHP web site.

This makes sure the data can be put into the data base, and the resulting data field contains EXACTLY what you started with, ie, "O'Connell"  When you retrieve this field you get back "O'Connell" and as you can see it has an apostrophe.  So you must run it through mysql_real_escape_string() again in order to reinsert it, or update it.

 

by: sully1958Posted on 2009-11-03 at 16:11:32ID: 25735291

That gives me the following error:

Parse error: syntax error, unexpected T_VARIABLE in /Library/WebServer/Documents/p_CaptureReport.php on line 108

Line 108 is where I replaced the single quotes with double quotes in the VALUES section.

 

by: Ray_PaseurPosted on 2009-11-03 at 16:12:59ID: 25735298

There are a couple of other wrinkles to consider.  Be on the lookout for "magic quotes" - you DO NOT want this set on.  Ask your host to turn it off.  It can cause you to get backslashes in your data base.  If you have got those already, you need to run a little script to get rid of them.  And choose mysql_real_escape_string() over the older addslashes() function.  The man pages tell why.

best regards, ~Ray

 

by: Ray_PaseurPosted on 2009-11-03 at 16:13:52ID: 25735307

OK, I will post my teaching example of how to get started in PHP and MySQL.  It shows you how to use the mysql_real_escape_string() in a query.

 

by: Ray_PaseurPosted on 2009-11-03 at 16:15:02ID: 25735310

Read this over, code and comments, and please post back with any questions.   Best regards, ~Ray

<?php // RAY_mysql_example.php
error_reporting(E_ALL); 
// IMPORTANT PAGES FROM THE MANUALS
// MAN PAGE: http://us2.php.net/manual/en/ref.mysql.php
// MAN PAGE: http://us2.php.net/manual/en/mysql.installation.php
// MAN PAGE: http://us.php.net/manual/en/function.mysql-error.php 
 
// CONNECTION AND SELECTION VARIABLES FOR THE DATABASE
$db_host = "localhost"; // PROBABLY THIS IS OK
$db_name = "??";        // GET THESE FROM YOUR HOSTING COMPANY
$db_user = "??";
$db_word = "??"; 
// OPEN A CONNECTION TO THE DATA BASE SERVER
// MAN PAGE: http://us2.php.net/manual/en/function.mysql-connect.php
if (!$db_connection = mysql_connect("$db_host", "$db_user", "$db_word"))
{
   $errmsg = mysql_errno() . ' ' . mysql_error();
   echo "<br/>NO DB CONNECTION: ";
   echo "<br/> $errmsg <br/>";
} 
// SELECT THE MYSQL DATA BASE
// MAN PAGE: http://us2.php.net/manual/en/function.mysql-select-db.php
if (!$db_sel = mysql_select_db($db_name, $db_connection))
{
   $errmsg = mysql_errno() . ' ' . mysql_error();
   echo "<br/>NO DB SELECTION: ";
   echo "<br/> $errmsg <br/>";
   die('NO DATA BASE');
}
// IF WE GOT THIS FAR WE CAN DO QUERIES 
 

// ESCAPING A DATA FIELD FOR USE IN MYSQL QUERIES
// MAN PAGE: http://us2.php.net/manual/en/function.mysql-real-escape-string.php
$safe_username = mysql_real_escape_string($_POST["username"]); 
 

// CREATING AND SENDING A SELECT QUERY AND TESTING THE RESULTS
// MAN PAGE:http://us2.php.net/manual/en/function.mysql-query.php
$sql = "SELECT id FROM my_table WHERE username='$safe_username'";
$res = mysql_query($sql); 
// IF mysql_query() RETURNS FALSE, GET THE ERROR REASONS
// MAN PAGE: http://us.php.net/manual/en/function.mysql-error.php
if (!$res)
{
   $errmsg = mysql_errno() . ' ' . mysql_error();
   echo "<br/>QUERY FAIL: ";
   echo "<br/>$sql <br/>";
   die($errmsg);
}
// IF WE GET THIS FAR, THE QUERY SUCCEEDED AND WE HAVE A RESOURCE-ID IN $res SO WE CAN NOW USE $res IN OTHER MYSQL FUNCTIONS 
 

// DETERMINE HOW MANY ROWS OF RESULTS WE GOT
// MAN PAGE: http://us2.php.net/manual/en/function.mysql-num-rows.php
$num = mysql_num_rows($res);
if (!$num)
{
   echo "<br/>QUERY FOUND NO DATA: ";
   echo "<br/>$sql <br/>";
}
else
{
   echo "<br/>QUERY FOUND $num ROWS OF DATA ";
   echo "<br/>$sql <br/>";
} 
 

// ITERATE OVER THE RESULTS SET TO SHOW WHAT WE FOUND
// MAN PAGE: http://us2.php.net/manual/en/function.mysql-fetch-assoc.php
echo "<pre>\n"; // MAKE IT EASY TO READ
while ($row = mysql_fetch_assoc($res))
{
   var_dump($row); // MAN PAGE: http://us2.php.net/manual/en/function.var-dump.php
} 
 

// MAKING AN INSERT QUERY AND TESTING THE RESULTS
$sql = "INSERT INTO my_table (username) VALUES (\"$safe_username\")";
$res = mysql_query($sql); 
// IF mysql_query() RETURNS FALSE, GET THE ERROR REASONS
if (!$res)
{
   $errmsg = mysql_errno() . ' ' . mysql_error();
   echo "<br/>QUERY FAIL: ";
   echo "<br/>$sql <br/>";
   die($errmsg);
}
// IF WE GET THIS FAR, THE QUERY SUCCEEDED AND WE HAVE A RESOURCE-ID IN $res SO WE CAN NOW USE $res IN OTHER MYSQL FUNCTIONS 
// GET THE AUTO_INCREMENT ID OF THE RECORD JUST INSERTED
// MAN PAGE: http://us2.php.net/manual/en/function.mysql-insert-id.php
$id  = mysql_insert_id($res);
                                              
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by: leakim971Posted on 2009-11-03 at 16:15:20ID: 25735312

Did you see my last post or the post from Ray_Paseur ?

For me :

$query01c = 'INSERT INTO AllData (ClientFile,LastName,City,Status,Type,Point) VALUES ("$DataClientFile","$DataLastName","$DataCity","$DataStatus","$DataType","$DataPoint")'; 
                                              
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by: sully1958Posted on 2009-11-03 at 16:39:14ID: 25735422

@leakim971
Your latest correction returned results of $DataLastName, $DataCity, etc. rather than the values for those variables ie - it gave that variable name result - not the variable value.  I'll take some time to read over Ray_Passeur's notes and try his direction as well.  Thanks1

 

by: Ray_PaseurPosted on 2009-11-03 at 16:41:59ID: 25735436

I think the query quote / apostrophe strategy works like this.  Note backticks, apostrophes and double quotes.

HTH, ~Ray

<?php // UNTESTED CODE
$safe_thing = mysql_real_escape_string($thing);
$sql_string = "INSERT INTO table ( `thing` ) VALUES ( '$safe_thing' )";

                                              
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by: leakim971Posted on 2009-11-03 at 16:44:40ID: 25735449

This one :

$query01c = 'INSERT INTO AllData (ClientFile,LastName,City,Status,Type,Point) VALUES ("'.$DataClientFile.'","'.$DataLastName.'","'.$DataCity.'","'.$DataStatus.'","'.$DataType.'","'.$DataPoint.'")'; 

                                              
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by: Ray_PaseurPosted on 2009-11-03 at 16:54:08ID: 25735503

@leakim971:

I also use this:

$sql = "INSERT INTO table (thing) VALUES \"$safe_thing\" ";

A lot of people think the escaped quotes look clunky, but I have developed an eye for them!

 

by: leakim971Posted on 2009-11-03 at 16:59:35ID: 25735526

LOL
I think it's people from PHP world, Java's people have this eye since their birth :))

 

by: Ray_PaseurPosted on 2009-11-03 at 17:02:25ID: 25735550

Roger that!

 

by: sully1958Posted on 2009-11-04 at 08:48:17ID: 31649742

Thanks for all your help.  The manual did a good job explaining the issue.  All the discussions of single quotes, double quotes and "back-slashes" didn't seem to do the trick in my case, but I appreciate the info!

 

by: Ray_PaseurPosted on 2009-11-04 at 10:27:42ID: 25742264

Thanks for the points.  Once you get backslashes into a data base it can morph into a nasty problem.  Better to recognize that and stop if before it multiplies via multiple escape sequences!  Cheers, ~Ray

20120131-EE-VQP-002

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