Question

I am trying to post into a database table, 3 different bits of information, but I get an error of Column count doesn't match value count at row 1

Here’s my database table structure:

    interestID      int(11) auto_increment                          
    name            varchar(100)                                         
    categoryID      int(11)                                  
    interest_desc   varchar(30)                              
    date            timestamp

The form:

<form id="form_design" method="post" action="interesting.php">
    <fieldset id="input_1">
        <input type="text" id="username" value="name?"   />
    </fieldset>            
    <fieldset id="input_2">
        <input type="text" id="interest" value="your interest?"  />
    </fieldset>   
    <fieldset id="input_3>
       <select id="cats">
           <option value="">--</option>
           <?php 
               $sql = "SELECT   categoryID, category_desc FROM categories "."ORDER BY category_desc"; $rs = mysql_query($sql);

               while($row = mysql_fetch_array($rs))
               { 
                   echo "<option value=\"".$row['categoryID']."\">".$row['category_desc']."</option>\n  "; }
?>                                                                        
        </select>
    </fieldset>
    <input type="submit" name="submit" value="Submit" />
</form>

The php that inserts it into the table retrieves a column count doesn’t match value count at row 1

PHP –

$interest_user = $_POST['username'];
$interest_name = $_POST['interest'];
$interest_cats = $_POST['cats'];

mysql_query("INSERT INTO interests ( interestID, name, categoryID
                , interest_desc, date )
             VALUES( "",'$interest_user' '$interest_cats'
                , '$interest_name', "" ) ") 
or die(mysql_error());

Answer 1

Missing a comma between '$interest_user' '$interest_cats'

should be

'$interest_user', '$interest_cats'

more problem :-

mysql_query("INSERT INTO interests 
(interestID,name,categoryID,interest_desc,date)  VALUES( "",'$interest_user' 
'$interest_cats', '$interest_name',""   ) ")

Are you sure you are not getting syntax error?

Should be :-

mysql_query("INSERT INTO interests 
(interestID,name,categoryID,interest_desc,date)  VALUES( '','$interest_user' 
'$interest_cats', '$interest_name',''   ) ")

Basic problem is solved,
your way of insertion is vulnerable for SQL injection

Here are the list you MUST do some reading:- https://stackoverflow.com/search?q=sql+injection