If It Exists

[e1seix]

Quick one guys.

 

I'm running an INSERT INTO script and what I'm trying to do is get it to check if what it's trying to insert is already present in my database and therefore skip it.

 

mysql_query("INSERT INTO names ( firstname ) VALUES ( 'Bob')") or die(mysql_error());

 

Running a for loop and basically, if Bob is already present in database under the firstname column, sjip it - how do i put that into the WHERE clause.

 

Many thanks and happy hols

[premiso]

You can make the field UNIQUE which would not allow it to be inserted. The only other way that I know of would be to do a SELECT query before the insert to test if that name is present in the database.

 

[trq]

Or, use INSERT.... ON DUPLICATE.

 

$sql = "
  INSERT INTO names (firstname)
  VALUES ('Bob')
  ON DUPLICATE KEY UPDATE firstname = 'Bob';
";

 

The 'firstname' field would still however need to have a unique constraint. See here for more details.

[Daniel0]

You can also use REPLACE INTO ... or INSERT IGNORE INTO .... I'd use thorpe's suggestion, though I might do ON DUPLICATE KEY UPDATE firstname = firstname so it can optimize the update statement away.