Connect form to my SQL database? - php

Question

I am trying to have this form submit to a database but I am having no luck. I am a complete newbie and based this code off another form that is already in use. Can anyone spot errors that would make it not work properly? Any help would be huge.
<?php
include("includes/captcha.php");
if (!empty($_POST['submitcontestant'])) {
$addcontestantsql = "INSERT INTO ".$config['db_dbpaper'].".contest (company, name, address, phone)";
$company = mysql_real_escape_string($_POST['company']);
$name = mysql_real_escape_string($_POST['name']);
$email = mysql_real_escape_string($_POST['email']);
$phone = mysql_real_escape_string($_POST['phone']);
$captcha = mysql_real_escape_string($_POST['captcha']);
<?php
include("includes/captcha.php");
if (!empty($_POST['submitcontestant'])) {
$addcontestantsql = "INSERT INTO ".$config['db_dbpaper'].".contest (company, name, address, phone)";
$company = mysql_real_escape_string($_POST['company']);
$name = mysql_real_escape_string($_POST['name']);
$email = mysql_real_escape_string($_POST['email']);
$phone = mysql_real_escape_string($_POST['phone']);
$captcha = mysql_real_escape_string($_POST['captcha']);
$addcontestantsql .= " VALUES('$company', '$name', '$email', '$phone')";
$allowed = false;
if (empty($company) && empty($name) && empty($address) && empty ($email) && empty($phone)) {
echo '<strong>Please go back and fill out all the fields!</strong>';
}
elseif ($captcha != $captchaans) {
echo '<strong>CAPTCHA incorrect!</strong>';
}
else {
$allowed = true;
echo '<strong>You are in the contest!</strong>';
}
if ($allowed) {
db_exec($addcontestantql);
}
}
?>
<?php
$companysql = "SELECT DISTINCT company FROM ".$config['db_dbpaper'].".contest ";
$mainsql = "SELECT * FROM ".$config['db_dbpaper'].".contest ";
if (!empty($_POST['submit'])) {
$companyname = mysql_real_escape_string($_POST['company']);
$mainsql .= "WHERE company like '$companyname'";
}
$company = db_list($companysql);
$contest = db_list($mainsql);
?>
<div id="fullwidthpage">
<h2>Contest</h2>
<p>Please fill the out form and then click submit. Thank you.</p>
<form method="post">
<table width="491" border="0">
<tr>
<td width="107">Company:</td>
<td width="374"><input name="company" type="text" /></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Name:</td>
<td><input name="name" type="text" /></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Email:</td>
<td><input name="address" type="text" /></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Phone:</td>
<td><input name="phone" type="text" /></td>
</tr>
</table>
<p><?php echo '<img src="'.BASE_URL.'images/captcha/'.date('n').'.jpg">'; ?><br />
What color is this?:<br />
<input name="captcha" size="25" style="text-transform: lowercase;"/>
<input name="submitcontestant" type="submit" value="Submit" />
</p>
</form>

Answer 1

id suggest you to start here : http://se2.php.net/manual/en/intro.mysqli.php
you're way off track at the moment and basically asking someone to code it for you.
after your posts update : it seems that the problem is you're not connecting to sql at all try using $link = mysql_connect('host', 'mysql_user', 'mysql_password');

Answer 2

All set, I was creating my data table in the wrong database, new table was added in the appropriate database and all better :). Thanks to everyone who gave me input!