having trouble updating multiple records with implode

I am trying to update multiple records based on an array that is posted.

It works if the array has only 1 item but two or more and it fails to work.

if (isset($_POST['checkboxArray'])) {
    if (isset($_POST['archiveit'])){
        $checkbox = $_POST['checkboxArray'];
        $mID = implode( ",", $checkbox );
        $sql ="update simpleNote SET status='archived' WHERE  mID = '$mID'";

        if ($conn->query($sql) === TRUE) {
            echo "Items moved to archived.";
        } else {
            echo "Error archiving Messages: " . $conn->error . "<br/> SQL: " . $sql;
        }

        $conn->close();
    }
    if (isset($_POST['trashit'])){
        $checkbox = $_POST['checkboxArray'];
        $mID = implode( ",", $checkbox );
        $sql ="update simpleNote SET status='deleted' WHERE  mID = '$mID'";

        if ($conn->query($sql) === TRUE) {
            echo "Items deleted.";
        } else {
            echo "Error deleting Messages: " . $conn->error . "<br/> SQL: " . $sql;
        }

        $conn->close();
    }
}

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austinfxAsked: 2015-09-17

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LVL 111

Ray PaseurCommented: 2015-09-17

This article may be helpful. Generally speaking, it looks like your $_POST array may contain "sub-arrays" for the checkboxes.
http://www.experts-exchange.com/articles/5450/Common-Sense-Examples-Using-Checkboxes-with-HTML-JavaScript-and-PHP.html

Please post the HTML document that is used to submit the form. We probably need to use an iterator like foreach() to access the multiple checkbox data -- we will know that when we see the HTML form.

austinfxAuthor Commented: 2015-09-18

Sometimes it helps to get direct answers the the actual questions posted.

LVL 22

NerdsOfTechTechnology ScientistCommented: 2015-09-21

Your current query can match ONLY one value due to the equal sign (EXACT SEARCH) in the WHERE clause.

$sql ="update simpleNote SET status='archived' WHERE  mID = '$mID'";

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Thus, you'll need an IN clause to specify searches for 1 or multiple cases and encapulate the variable in parentheses:

$sql ="update simpleNote SET status='archived' WHERE  mID IN ($mID)";

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Make this change to lines 5 and 18

WARNING: I urge that you clean/scrub the input to prevent malicious attacks / injections as this is very easy for an attacker to exploit if unfiltered. Be cautious to remove % and _ from inputs too (IN clause wildcard characters), as mysql_real_escape won't (if that's your choice of cleaner on the PHP end).

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LVL 111

Ray PaseurCommented: 2016-06-01

To anyone coming across this question in the future, please read the WARNING first. This is the reason we asked to see the HTML and suggested the use of the foreach() iterator. However, because the author did not provide the HTML we are only able to issue a warning, and are unable to show the code that would have been appropriate to sanitize the external input. As written this code is incredibly dangerous and hackable. It would take no more than a few lines of code and a few minutes to ruin the database. Please take to heart the warning from NerdsOfTech and do not follow this model without understanding and mitigating the risks!