Why is is giving me an SQL syntax error? - php

Question

Do you have any idea why i get this:
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 '``, `title` varchar(255) collate latin1_general_ci NOT NULL default ``,' at line 3
The code is like this (the part im having problem with...)
$sql = 'CREATE TABLE `forum` (
`postid` bigint(20) NOT NULL auto_increment,
`author` varchar(255) collate latin1_general_ci NOT NULL default ``,
`title` varchar(255) collate latin1_general_ci NOT NULL default ``,
`post` mediumtext collate latin1_general_ci NOT NULL,
`showtime` varchar(255) collate latin1_general_ci NOT NULL default ``,
`realtime` bigint(20) NOT NULL default `0`,
`lastposter` varchar(255) collate latin1_general_ci NOT NULL default ``,
`numreplies` bigint(20) NOT NULL default `0`,
`parentid` bigint(20) NOT NULL default `0`,
`lastrepliedto` bigint(20) NOT NULL default `0`,
`author_avatar` varchar(30) collate latin1_general_ci NOT NULL default `default`,
`type` varchar(2) collate latin1_general_ci NOT NULL default `1`,
`stick` varchar(6) collate latin1_general_ci NOT NULL default `0`,
`numtopics` bigint(20) NOT NULL default `0`,
`cat` bigint(20) NOT NULL,
PRIMARY KEY (`postid`)
);';
mysql_query($sql,$con) or die(mysql_error());
Help would be greatly appreciated!

Answer 1

`author` varchar(255) collate latin1_general_ci NOT NULL default ``,
'author' is a column name, hence why it goes it backticks.
But the default '' is a value so it should be in quotation marks, not backticks, methinks.
If this is the case, same goes for all other defaults.

Answer 2

You are using backticks instead of quotes for strings. Change this:
default ``
to this:
default ''
The full statement should be:
CREATE TABLE `forum` (
`postid` bigint(20) NOT NULL auto_increment,
`author` varchar(255) collate latin1_general_ci NOT NULL default '',
`title` varchar(255) collate latin1_general_ci NOT NULL default '',
`post` mediumtext collate latin1_general_ci NOT NULL,
`showtime` varchar(255) collate latin1_general_ci NOT NULL default '',
`realtime` bigint(20) NOT NULL default '0',
`lastposter` varchar(255) collate latin1_general_ci NOT NULL default '',
`numreplies` bigint(20) NOT NULL default '0',
`parentid` bigint(20) NOT NULL default '0',
`lastrepliedto` bigint(20) NOT NULL default '0',
`author_avatar` varchar(30) collate latin1_general_ci NOT NULL default 'default',
`type` varchar(2) collate latin1_general_ci NOT NULL default '1',
`stick` varchar(6) collate latin1_general_ci NOT NULL default '0',
`numtopics` bigint(20) NOT NULL default '0',
`cat` bigint(20) NOT NULL,
PRIMARY KEY (`postid`)
);

Answer 3

Thanks for responses. I had actually done this before (putting ' instead of ` ), but it just showed me a blank page....
I figured out my problem. I either had to put backslash before each ' or just change the
$sql = 'CREATE TABLE `forum` (
to
$sql = "CREATE TABLE `forum` (
(note the quotes)
Thanks anyway, it helped me figure it out!