mysql syntax error on performing a ranking query - php

Question

i want to perform a ranking query but i'm not sure what is the right syntax
here is my query:
static public function sortranks(){
global $db;
$sql ="TRUNCATE TABLE `ranking`";
$db->query($sql);
$sql = "INSERT INTO `ranking` (`user_id`) VALUES
( SELECT `employe_id` FROM `rates_employe` WHERE `status` = '0' ORDER BY rawpoint DESC ) ";
$db->query($sql);
$sql = "UPDATE rates_employe , ranking SET rates_employe.rank = ranking.rank WHERE
rates_employe.employe_id = ranking.user_id ";
$db->query($sql);
echo 'ok';
exit;
}
i keep getting syntax error when i run this query
Database query failed: You have an error in your SQL syntax; check the
manual that corresponds to your MySQL server version for the right
syntax to use near 'SELECT employe_id FROM rates_employe WHERE
status = '0' ORDER BY rawpoint ' at line 2

Answer 1

You should execute the queries one by one, instead of joining them together.
Change the .= string concatenation with a simple assignment, and after assigning each query, execute it. Such as:
$sql = "TRUNCATE TABLE ranking";
$db->query($sql);
$sql = "INSERT INTO `ranking`(`user_id`) VALUES ...";
$db->query($sql);
Also remove VALUES from the query:
INSERT INTO ranking (user_id)
( SELECT employe_id FROM rates_employe WHERE status = '0' ORDER BY rawpoint DESC )
Sorry if I sound pedantic, but in English Employee is spelt with two e at the end of the word.

Answer 2

Try running each queries separately:
static public function sortranks(){
global $db;
$sql ="TRUNCATE TABLE ranking";
$db->query($sql);
$sql = "INSERT INTO `ranking`(`user_id`) VALUES
( SELECT `employe_id` FROM `rates_employe` WHERE `status` = '0' ORDER BY `rawpoint` DESC ) ";
$db->query($sql);
$sql = "UPDATE rates_employe , ranking SET rates_employe.rank = ranking.rank WHERE
rates_employe.employe_id = ranking.user_id ";
$db->query($sql);
echo 'done';
exit;
}