How can I get $_POST to work with my PDO statement? - php

Question

I can't seem to get $_POST to work with my sql query. I have tried both mysql_query and PDO.
$newartist = $_POST['newartist']; // This doesn't work with PDO statement
//$newartist = 'Hubert De Lartigue'; // This works with PDO statement!
//$query = $DBH->prepare("SELECT * FROM artist WHERE artist =?"); // Original Method
//$query->bindValue(1, $newartist, PDO::PARAM_STR); // Original Method
$query = $DBH->prepare("SELECT * FROM artist WHERE artist = :newartist"); // Suggested Method
//$query->bindParam(':newartist', $newartist); // Suggested method, tested
$query->bindParam(':newartist', $newartist, PDO::PARAM_STR); // Suggested method
$query->execute();
//foreach ($query as $row) { // Switched to while loop so it can "fetch"
while ($row = $query->fetch(PDO::FETCH_ASSOC)) {
$selectedartist = '<option value="'.$row['artist_id'].'" selected="selected">'.$row['artist'].'</option>';
}
I can however echo $_POST['newartist']; and it will correctly output the artist's name!
The form per request (NOTE: you have to click the + to submit an artist and newartist echos properly after submitting a new artist):
<div style="background: #270126; padding: 0 20px;" id="artist" >
<form method="post" style="width: 100%">
Artist: <select name="artist" style="width: 200px; background: black;" class="required">
<?php
if(!empty($_POST['newartist'])) {
echo $selectedartist;
} else {
echo '<option value="2" selected="selected">Unknown-Artist</option>
'.$theartist.'';
}
?></select> +</div>
<div style="background: #270126; padding: 0 20px;" id="addnewartist" >
<fieldset style="display: none;height: 35px;" id="artistnew">
Artist Name:
<input name="newartist" id="newartist" style="width: 200px; display:inline;" /> Artist URL:<input name="artist_url" value="http://" />
<input type="submit" value="Submit New Artist" name="addartist" class="secondaryAction" style="display:inline;" />
</fieldset>
</div>
<fieldset id="artworknew" style="width: 100%;">
<div style="background: #270126; padding: 0 20px;">
Artwork Name: <input name="name" id="name" style="width: 300px;" />
</div>
<div style="background: #270126; padding: 0 20px;">
File Name: <input name="file" id="file" style="width: 300px" value=".jpg" /><br />
</div>
<div style="background: #270126; padding: 0 20px; height: 35px;">
Folder: <select name="folder" style="width: 200px; background: black;">
<option value="16">digitalart2</option>
<?=$thefolder;?></select>
<input name="disabled" type="checkbox" value="1" />Disable
<input name="dt1" type="hidden" value="<?=date("Y-m-d H:i:s");?>">
</div>
<div align="center">
<input type="submit" value="Submit Artwork" name="addartwork" class="primaryAction" />
</div></fieldset>
</form>
</div>
<?php
if ($_POST['addartist']) {
mysql_query("INSERT INTO `artist` ( `artist_id` , `artist`, `artist_url`)
VALUES (NULL , '".$_POST['newartist']. "', '".$_POST['artist_url']. "');") or die(mysql_error());
//echo '<meta http-equiv="refresh" content="0;url=?form=addart">';
}
if ($_POST['addartwork']) {
// list($subcategory, $subcategory_id, $type, $link, $width, $height) = split(":", $_POST['subcategory']);
// list($genre, $genre_id) = split(":", $_POST['genre']);
mysql_query("INSERT INTO `artwork` (`id`, `name`, `artist_id`, `file`, `folder_id`, `dt1`, `approved`, `disabled`)
VALUES (NULL ,
'".sql_inj_str($_POST['name'])."',
'".sql_inj_str($_POST['artist'])."',
'".sql_inj_str(htmlentities($_POST['file']))."',
'".sql_inj_str($_POST['folder'])."',
'".sql_inj_str($_POST['dt1'])."',
'1',
'".sql_inj_str($_POST['disabled'])."');
") or die(mysql_error());
//$qu=mysql_query("SELECT LAST_INSERT_ID() INTO #artwork;");
echo '<div align="center" style="margin-top: 25px;">..::[ Artwork Submitted! ]::..</div>';
}
include ('footer.php');
?>

Answer 1

I went through all the code you gave me. You have many bad html, css and javascript practices. It make your code hard to debug. I have improved your code and maybe if you can follow my logic and comments, you will figure out what's wrong with you code.
Basically, the code you showed me first is perfectly fine. The problem is with your design. You are entering null values for the id column instead of letting the database do it for you. You have a column for an artist_id and inserting in the artist there. Look at your database definitions to make sure that they have the correct structure and are getting the expected variables. Here is you code but made with good practices. If you can follow my code, you will find it easier to debug the problem.
<?php
/** I have re-wrote your code to give you a better way of writing code that makes it easier to debug**/
/**Store input fields as variables so I don't have to repeat certain things**/
$newartist = isset($_POST['newartist']) ? ($_POST['newartist']) : "Unkown Artist"; // either has a value or the value is Unknown Artist. Only has a value if the $_POST is set
$addartist = isset($_POST['addartist']) ? true : false; // the addartist has been posted or not
$addartwork = isset($_POST['addartwork']) ? true : false; // the addartwork has been posted or not
//This is for add new artist
if($addartist){
$newartist = isset($_POST['newartist']) ? $_POST['newartist'] :null;
$newartist = isset($_POST['artist_url']) ? $_POST['artist_url'] :null;
/**when you do new entry into a database, the primary key or the id field should be left alone,
it automatically updates itself. You must have a primary key in your database for things to work out properly**/
mysql_query("INSERT INTO `artist` ( `artist`, `artist_url`)
VALUES ('". $newartist . "', '". $artist_url . "');") or die(mysql_error());
}else{
$newartist = null;
$artist_url = null;
}
/// this is for adding artwork
if($addartwork){
$name = isset($_POST['name']) ? $_POST['name'] :null;
$artist = isset($_POST['artist']) ? $_POST['artist'] :null;
$file = isset($_POST['file']) ? htmlentities($_POST['file']) :null;
$folder = isset($_POST['folder']) ? $_POST['folder'] :null;
$dt1 = isset($_POST['dt1']) ? $_POST['dt1'] :null;
$disabled = isset($_POST['disabled']) ? 1 : 0;
// list($subcategory, $subcategory_id, $type, $link, $width, $height) = split(":", $_POST['subcategory']);
// list($genre, $genre_id) = split(":", $_POST['genre']);
/**when you do new entry into a database, the primary key or the id field should be left alone,
it automatically updates itself. You must have a primary key in your database for things to work out properly**/
//There is a problem with you artist_id column. The artist has a string value, and you have an id column in the database
//Also you have a sql_inj_str() function. I am guessing that you have difined this function somewhere.
mysql_query("INSERT INTO `artwork` ( `name`, `artist_id`, `file`, `folder_id`, `dt1`, `approved`, `disabled`)
VALUES (NULL ,
'".sql_inj_str($name)."',
'".sql_inj_str($artist)."',
'".sql_inj_str(htmlentities($file))."',
'".sql_inj_str($folder)."',
'".sql_inj_str($dt1)."',
'1',
'".sql_inj_str($disabled)."');
") or die(mysql_error());
//$qu=mysql_query("SELECT LAST_INSERT_ID() INTO #artwork;");
echo '<div align="center" style="margin-top: 25px;">..::[ Artwork Submitted! ]::..</div>';
}else{
$name = null;
$artist = null;
$file = null;
$folder = null;
$dt1 = null;
$disabled = 0;
}
?>
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Database Query PDO</title>
<!-- Put the styles (CSS) seperate from the html, easier to maintain. You can just copy these styles into an external file and just link it-->
<style>
#artist {
/**background: #270126;**/
/** I just used a different color from yours so that I can see, design choice**/
background: linen;
padding: 0 20px;
}
/** give the tag in the html a class name or id in the html and replace the tag name here with the class or id given **/
form {
width: 100%;
}
/** give the tag in the html a class name or id in the html and replace the tag name here with the class or id given **/
select {
width: 200px;
/**background: black;**/
/** I just used a different color from yours so that I can see, design choice**/
background: linen;
}
/** give the tag in the html a class name or id in the html and replace the tag name here with the class or id given **/
a {
width: 15px;
font-size: 1.5em;
display:inline;
/**added a myself**/
text-decoration: none;
}
#addnewartist{
/**background: #270126;**/
/** I just used a different color from yours so that I can see, design choice**/
background: linen;
padding: 0 20px;
}
fieldset#artistnew{
display: none;
height: 35px;
}
form #newartist {
width: 200px;
display:inline;
}
form .secondaryAction{
display:inline;
}
#artworknew{
width: 100%;
}
/** I now had no choice but to add in a few class names here**/
.ArtworkName{
/**background: #270126;**/
/** I just used a different color from yours so that I can see, design choice**/
background: linen;
padding: 0 20px;
}
input[name='name'] {
width: 300px;
}
.FileName{
/**background: #270126;**/
/** I just used a different color from yours so that I can see, design choice**/
background: linen;
padding: 0 20px;
}
input[name='file'] {
width: 300px;
}
.Folder {
/**background: #270126;**/
/** I just used a different color from yours so that I can see, design choice**/
background: linen;
padding: 0 20px;
height: 35px;
}
select[name='folder'] {
width: 200px;
/**background: #270126;**/
/** I just used a different color from yours so that I can see, design choice**/
background: linen;
}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<form method="post">
<!-- move the div inside the form-->
<div id="artist" >
Artist:
<select name="artist" class="required">
<?php echo '<option value="' . $newartist . '" selected="selected">' . $newartist . '</option>'; ?>
</select>
<!--When the link is clicked it runs the doStyles function-->
+
<!-- get all the javascript out of the anchor tag. You can use jquery or external javscript but doing it this way is really really bad practice-->
<script>
// You can store this code in an external javscript file and embed it here
function doStyles(){
document.getElementById('artistnew').style.display='block';
document.getElementById('artworknew').style.display='none';
document.getElementById('artist').style.display='none';
}
</script>
</div>
<div id="addnewartist" >
<fieldset id="artistnew">
Artist Name:
<input name="newartist" id="newartist" />
Artist URL:
<input name="artist_url" value="http://" />
<input type="submit" value="Submit New Artist" name="addartist" class="secondaryAction" />
</fieldset>
</div>
<fieldset id="artworknew" >
<div class="ArtworkName">
Artwork Name:
<input name="name" id="name" />
</div>
<div class="FileName">
File Name:
<input name="file" id="file" value=".jpg" /><br />
</div>
<div class="Folder">
Folder:
<select name="folder" >
<option value="16">digitalart2</option>
<?=$thefolder;?>
</select>
<input name="disabled" type="checkbox" value="1" />Disable
<input name="dt1" type="hidden" value="<?=date("Y-m-d H:i:s");?>">
</div>
<div align="center">
<input type="submit" value="Submit Artwork" name="addartwork" class="primaryAction" />
</div>
</fieldset>
</form>
</div>
</body>
</html>

Answer 2

Everything looks OK. Check you form again, and make sure the name attribute is correct. Also, if you are typing in the name on the search form, make sure you are taking care of the case sensitive. The name should match the name in the database.
Use bindParam
Try taking out the PDO::PARAM_STR for now.
Lastly try this:
$result = $query->execute();
and then use $result in the for each loop