Question

PHP newbie here

I have a mysql table called “topics”, and i’m pulling information from the table for a page based on a result from a form (in the URL through GET)

If the URL doesn’t exist, i’d like to be able for the table to create a new entry with the topic name from the URL filled in

$topic_name would be what i’d be putting in the new topicname field

My code so far:

            $topic_name = strtolower(mysql_real_escape_string($_GET['t']));

//look for info
$topic_info = mysql_query("SELECT * FROM topics WHERE topicname = '$topic_name' LIMIT 1");

if (mysql_numrows($topic_info)<=0) {
//insert record
$SQL='insert into topics (topicname) values ("'.$topic_name.'")';
mysql_query($SQL);
$t_desc='NEW TOPIC : '.$topic_name;
} 
else {
//do as normal (without unnessecary loop)
$g=mysql_fetch_array($topic_info);

$t_desc = $g['desc'];               
}    

EDIT: Sorry, I don’t think i explained well, the result is from a GET from a form, so url.com/topic?=BLAH

blah would be the name of the field i’d want to create if it doesn’t exist.

The table has an Auto incrementing ‘ID’ (primary key)

Answer 1

If i understand you correct :

$topic_name = (isset($_GET['t'])) ? strtolower(mysql_real_escape_string($_GET['t'])) : '';

//look for info
$topic_info = mysql_query("SELECT * FROM topics WHERE topicname = '$topic_name' LIMIT 1");

if (mysql_num_rows($topic_info)<=0) {
    //insert record
    //UPDATE
    //$SQL='insert into topics (topicname) values ("'.$topic_name.'")';
    $SQL='insert into topics (topicname, `desc`) values '.
           '("'.$topic_name.'", "NEW TOPIC DESC")';
    mysql_query($SQL);
    $t_desc='NEW TOPIC : '.$topic_name;
} else {
    //do as normal (without unnessecary loop)
    $g=mysql_fetch_array($topic_info);
    $t_desc = $g['desc'];               
}