postgresql select query with variables - php

Question

I am trying to make a postgresql select query work with php, but can't get past the syntax.
I have a variable and a query that returns the surname of any match.
$name = 'Smith';
$query = 'SELECT surname FROM emploee WHERE name= '.$name.';';
$a = pg_query(connect(),$query );
while($row = pg_fetch_array($a)){ echo "Match"; }
For those who wonder why do I have to declare Smith as a variable, $name is not always equals to Smith. The value of $name is taken correctly from another query. However, this is not working. I read in an article that I should use pg_query_params() but couldn't get that to work neither.
Your help would be highly appreciated

Answer 1

Try this :
$query = "SELECT surname FROM emploee WHERE name= '" . $name . "';";
And the best way without binding :
$query = sprintf("SELECT surname FROM emploee WHERE name = '%s'", pg_escape_string($name));
And if you want to use binding :
$result = pg_query_params(connect(), 'SELECT surname FROM emploee WHERE name = $1', array($name));
As you get a result from other query ' Smith', there is a white space.
To remove white space from $name, you can do : $name = trim($name);

Answer 2

These are the two methods that worked, suggested by Bang and Frank Heikens respectively. Since they only commented, I am posting it as an answer for those who might come up the same situation. However, I would strongly advise them to read the comments too. I learned a couple of stuff on the way, you might as well.
Bang's suggestions->
$a = trim($name);
$query = "SELECT surname FROM employee WHERE name= '" . $a . "';";
$result = pg_query(connect(), $query);
while($row = pg_fetch_array($result)){ echo "Match"; }
Frank Heikens suggestions ->
$n = trim($name);
$s = trim($surname);
$params = array ($n, $s);
$result = pg_query_params(connect(), 'SELECT office FROM emploee WHERE name = $1 and surname = $2', $params);
while($row = pg_fetch_array($result)){ $k = $row['path']." ".$row['office']; echo $k; }
In both cases I have to use trim (not sure if this will be your case too). I added a third field office to demonstrate how can I take several arguments.
If anyone has other critics, suggestions or solutions, be my guest. I will try everyone of them and let you know.

Answer 3

With this code above: you can print "match" for each record matched with query
$a = trim($name);
$query = "SELECT surname FROM employee WHERE name= '" . $a . "';";
$result = pg_query(connect(), $query);
while($row = pg_fetch_array($result)){ echo "Match"; }
But certainly you need to print the values returned:
just make it echo $row['columnName']
Full details here:https://w3resource.com/PostgreSQL/select.php