Insert User Data to Database with INSERT statement - php

Question

From a user form: I am trying to insert the following data:
1) First Name 2) Last Name 3) Major 4) Graduation Year
I am able to connect to the database, and select the database I need--but I am unable to insert the data from the form. I am able to create records, but the data is not being saved to the database. Basically, right now I'm creating blank forms.
The variable $uInput holds the user data. I tried passing $uInput into the function doAction(), but I believe that is where the problem is. I'm trying to figure out how to pass the user data into the function doAction().
<?php
//Call function mainline
mainline();
// Declare the function mainline
function mainline() {
$uInput = getUserInput();
$connectDb = openConnect(); // Open Database Connection
selectDb($connectDb); // Select Database
doAction($uInput);
//closeConnect();
//display();
}
//Declare function getUserInput ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
function getUserInput() {
echo "In the function getUserInput()" . "<br/>";
// Variables of User Input
$idnum = $_POST["idnum"]; // id (NOTE: auto increments in database)
$fname = $_POST["fname"]; // first name
$lname = $_POST["lname"]; // last name
$major = $_POST["major"]; // major
$year = $_POST["year"]; // year
$action = $_POST["action"]; // action (select, insert, update, delete)
$userInput = array($idnum, $fname, $lname, $major, $year, $action);
//echo "info from getUserInput: " . $action;
return $userInput;
}
function doAction($pUserInput) {
// if user selects INSERT from dropdown menu, then call function insert
//and pass $uInput
if ($pUserInput[5] == "ins") {
insert($uInput);
}
}
// Create a database connection --------------------------------------------------------
function openConnect() {
$connection = mysql_connect("localhost", "root_user", "password");
echo "Opened Connection!" . "<br/>";
if(!$connection) {
die("Database connection failed: " . mysql_error());
}
return $connection;
}
// Select a database to ----------------------------------------------------------------
function selectDb($pConnectDb) {
$dbSelect = mysql_select_db("School", $pConnectDb);
if(!$dbSelect) {
die("Database selection failed: " . mysql_error());
} else {
echo "You are in the School database! <br/>";
}
}
// function insert ---------------------------------------------------------------------
function insert($pUInput) {
$sql="INSERT INTO tblStudents (first_name, last_name, major, year)
VALUES
('$pUInput[1]','$pUInput[2]','$pUInput[3]', '$pUInput[4]')";
if (!mysql_query($sql))
{
die('Error: ' . mysql_error());
}
echo "1 record added";
}
?>

Answer 1

Your doAction() function is buggy. You are taking the parameter into the function as $pUserInput but sending to the insert() function as $uInput.
You should do it like this:
function doAction($pUserInput)
{
// if user selects INSERT from dropdown menu, then call function insert
//and pass $uInput
if ($pUserInput[5] == "ins")
{
insert($pUserInput); // <-- FIXED: Not using correct parameter.
}
}

Answer 2

Change insert($uInput); function to insert($pUserInput);