SQL syntax error , dont know why

[phppaper]

Hello all,

 

can anyone tell me whats wrong here, I keep getting error message:

 

$aname = 'tom';

$aword = 'abc';

 

$temp = mysql_query("INSERT INTO tablename (field) VALUES ('$aword') where name='$aname'")or die (mysql_error());

 

"name" is one of the field name.

[LooieENG]

What error messages?

 

Do the table "tablename" and column "field" exist in the database? Are you properly connected to the database?

[papaface]

try:

$temp = mysql_query("INSERT INTO `tablename` (`field`) VALUES ('$aword') where `name`='$aname'")or die (mysql_error());

[phppaper]

Thanks, but it seems doesn't work

 

I get "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 'where name=......

 

any idea?

 

Is it right to write it like this in a query with insert and where condition??

[dmccabe]

I was just going to say I dont think you need the WHERE condition do you?

 

Sure you are just inserting the info, so what is the WHERE there to do?

[phppaper]

well, I want to insert the data where the name field = tom for example, because in the database there are many different names in name field

[revraz]

Yep, can't use WHERE with INSERT.  Do you want to UPDATE?

[phppaper]

thanks , but with update, I need to have data within the field right?? What if the field is empty, any way I can do the job??

[AndyB]

UPDATE will normally update ALL records that match the WHERE condition.  SO, if you have more than one record where the target field is 'empty' then all such records would update. If that's not what you want to do, you will need something unique in the WHERE clause to update a single record reliably. If your table happens to contain an auto-incremented record id for example ...

[revraz]

Use INSERT with ON DUPLICATE KEY UPDATE

 

http://dev.mysql.com/doc/refman/5.0/en/insert.html

[phppaper]

Thanks guys!! Problem solved