Question

Trying to check if a name is already stored in the database from the login user. The name is a set of dynamic arrays entered by the user threw a set of dynamic form fields added by the user. Can some show me how to check and see if the name is already entered by the login user? I know my code can’t be right. Thanks!

MySQL code.

SELECT * 
FROM names 
WHERE name = '" . $_POST['name'] . "' 
AND userID = '$userID'

Here is the MySQL table.

CREATE TABLE names (
id INT UNSIGNED NOT NULL AUTO_INCREMENT,
userID INT NOT NULL,
name VARCHAR(255) NOT NULL,
meaning VARCHAR(255) NOT NULL,
PRIMARY KEY (id)
);

Answer 1

If $_POST[‘name’] is actually an array of strings, as you say, then try this PHP:

$namesString = '';
foreach ($i=0; $i < count($_POST['name']) $i++)
{
    $namesString .= "'" . mysql_real_escape_string($_POST['name'][$i]) . "'";
    if(isset($_POST['name'][$i + 1]) $nameString .= ', ';
}

With this query:

 SELECT * FROM `names` 
 WHERE `name` IN ( $namesString )
    AND `userID` = '$userID'

The query will return all the rows in which the name is the same as string in $_POST[‘name’].