Checking for empty fields without using fetch - php

Question

I am having some problems with checking if the field is empty or not in SQL using PHP without using mysql_fetch_array().
I have this code:
date_default_timezone_set('Asia/Taipei');
$remarks = $_POST['remarks'];
$date_added = date ("Y-m-d");
$time_added = date ("h:i:s a");
$lname = $_SESSION['user']['last_name'];
$fname = $_SESSION['user']['first_name'];
$minitial = $_SESSION['user']['middle_initial'];
$con = mysqli_connect("localhost", "root", "", "thisdb");
if(empty(`TIME_IN_1`)) {
$query = "INSERT INTO time_logs (LAST_NAME, FIRST_NAME, MIDDLE_INITIAL, DATE, TIME_IN_1, TIME_IN_1_REMARKS) VALUES('$lname', ' $fname', '$minitial', '$date_added', '$time_added', '$remarks')";
}
else {
$query = "UPDATE time_logs SET TIME_IN_2 = '$time_added' where LAST_NAME = '$lname' AND DATE = '$date_added'";
}
$save = mysqli_query($con, $query);
header("Location: time_in_complete.php");
What I basically want to accomplish is if the TIME_IN_1 field is empty, the data will be added there. If it is not empty, then the data will be added to the TIME_IN_2.
Apprently, this line:
if(empty(`TIME_IN_1`))
doesn't seem to work.

Answer 1

$first_query = "SELECT TIME_IN_1 FROM time_logs WHERE LAST_NAME = '" . $lname . "' AND FIRST_NAME = '" . $fname . "'";
$data = mysqli_query($con, $first_query);
$num_row = mysqli_num_rows($data);
if($num_row == 0) {
$query = "INSERT INTO time_logs (LAST_NAME, FIRST_NAME, MIDDLE_INITIAL, DATE, TIME_IN_1, TIME_IN_1_REMARKS) VALUES('$lname', ' $fname', '$minitial', '$date_added', '$time_added', '$remarks')";
}
else {
$query = "UPDATE time_logs SET TIME_IN_2 = '$time_added' where LAST_NAME = '$lname' AND DATE = '$date_added'";
}
$save = mysqli_query($con, $query);
header("Location: time_in_complete.php");

Answer 2

Try a query like:
SELECT TIME_IN_1 from time_logs where LAST_NAME = '$lname' AND DATE = '$date_added'
Then:
// Default to true and set this false if we find a value
$bIsEmpty = true;
// Check if any rows match
if ($result->num_rows > 0){
// Yes a row matches, so check if we have a value
$row = $result->fetch_object();
if ($row->TIME_IN_1 != "")
$bIsEmpty = false;
}
if ($bIsEmpty === true){
// Do your insert
} else {
// Do your update
}